Obstetric-induced incontinence: a black hole of preventable morbidity.

There is a detailed literature comprising clinical and anorectal physiological studies linking faecal incontinence to vaginal delivery. Specific risk factors are high infant birthweight, forceps delivery and prolonged second stage of labour. The onset of symptoms may be delayed for many years. Faecal incontinence occurs in more than 10% of adult females and urinary incontinence in about a third of multiparous women. This places a very large economic burden on the Australian health system. A conservative estimate for overall management of incontinence would be in excess of $A700 million but the actual amount is unknown. Preventative measures for avoiding pelvic floor injuries need to be established, and safe obstetric practice needs to be redefined in the light of current knowledge about incontinence. Outcome measures for safe birthing should not only include infant and maternal mortality and infant morbidity, but should also include the long-term effects of vaginal delivery on the pelvic floor, particularly urinary and faecal incontinence. Several state reports and one federal senate report on safe birthing have been lacking in this area. The safety of birthing centres and home birthing needs to be examined to provide birthing mothers with complete and appropriate information about safety in order that they may consider their options. Appropriate Caesarean section rates for optimal birthing safety are unknown and need to be re-examined. Calls for overall reduction in Caesarean section rates in Australia are inappropriate and cannot be justified until the effects of pelvic floor injury are added to the overall assessment.

Bowel, bladder and sexual function in women undergoing laparoscopic posterior compartment repair in the presence of apical or anterior compartment dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyse the functional outcome of women undergoing a laparoscopic posterior compartment repair in the presence of anterior or apical compartment dysfunction. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: Forty women, median age 65 years (41-78), with symptoms of genital prolapse 31 (78%), urinary dysfunction 32 (80%) and bowel dysfunction 40 (100%), underwent laparoscopic posterior compartment repair in conjunction with an anterior compartment repair. Pre-operative and postoperative bowel and bladder function was prospectively assessed with a Wexner continence score, Vienna constipation score and a urinary dysfunction score. Twenty-eight (70%) and 24 patients (60%) had pre-operative urodynamics and anorectal manometry. Post-operatively all women were also assessed with a Watt's sexual dysfunction score and a linear analogue patient satisfaction score. Twelve women (30%) had postoperative anal manometry. RESULTS: At 20 months median follow-up, 30 (97%), 20 (62%) and 12 (31%) women reported improvement in their prolapse, urinary and bowel symptoms, respectively. Post-operatively, one woman reported denovo faecal incontinence, four worsening obstructive defecation and three denovo urinary dysfunction. Nine women (35%) reported denovo dyspareunia. The mean time to clinical deterioration following surgery was 11 months. Bowel function improvement was the only factor to significantly correlate with postoperative patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The functional outcome of laparoscopic posterior compartment repair in the presence of anterior compartment dysfunction is disappointing. Preoperative counselling is important to ensure that patients have reasonable and realistic expectations from repair surgery, and an understanding that anatomical improvement might not be followed by long-term functional improvement.

Long-term results of repeat anterior anal sphincter repair.

PURPOSE: Anterior anal sphincter repair for obstetric trauma sometimes fails because of breakdown of the repair. The long-term results of repeating the overlapping repair are not known. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with repeat obstetric-related anterior sphincter repair had previously been assessed at a median of 20 months follow-up, at which time 13 patients (65 percent) felt 50 percent or greater improvement compared with their preoperative symptoms. Patients were reassessed at a median of 5 years (range, 48-86 months) using a questionnaire, an incontinence score, and telephone interview to determine current bowel function, continence, and restriction in activities of daily life and overall satisfaction with the results of surgery. RESULTS: Twenty-one of 23 patients (median age, 47 (range, 27-66) years) were contacted. One patient was lost to follow-up and one had died of an unrelated cause. Of 21 patients, one was fully continent and 12 more reported symptom improvement of 50 percent or more compared with preoperatively. Four were unchanged, and of the four whose symptoms had deteriorated, two had undergone further surgery for incontinence. Compared with the 20-month assessment, there was no significant change in continence scores (median, 12/20 (range, 1-20) vs. 7/20 (range, 2-19); 20 vs. 60 months), rating of improvement (median, 50 (range, 0-100) percent) at 20 and 60 months), or satisfaction (7/10 (range, 0-10) at 20 and 60 months). CONCLUSIONS: Repeat anterior sphincter repair results in improved continence for the majority of patients, with no substantial change between the short-term and long-term follow-up.