[Benign anastomotic strictures after oncologic rectal cancer surgery. Results of treatment with hydrostatic dilation]. / Estenosis anastomóticas benignas en la cirugía radical del cáncer de recto. Resultados del tratamiento con dilatación hidrostática.

INTRODUCTION: Benign anastomotic strictures after rectal cancer surgery are common and their treatment can vary from conservative measures to surgical resection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 2001 and August 2008, 422 patients with rectal cancer underwent anterior resection and 83.8% were treated with primary anastomosis. Anastomotic stricture has been defined as the inability to pass a colonoscope. Hydrostatic balloon dilation was performed. Results of success and failure dilation were assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients (7.34%) with anastomotic stricture were treated; 16 men and 10 women, with a median age of 66 years (57-74). A total of 26 anterior resections were performed, as well as 10 end-to-end anastomosis, 10 side-to-end, 4 j-pouch and 2 pouch coloplasties. The median stricture height was 10cms (4-12). Thirteen patients had preoperative radiotherapy (50%), and 9 patients had an ileostomy (34.7%). The median time of diagnosis was 6 months (3-10). The diagnosis was made by: rectal digital examination in 19.2%, colonoscopy 23.1% and clinical symptoms in 57.7%. The median number of dilation sessions required was 2 (1-4). The median of follow-up was 39 months (23 to 49). Results were successful 88.5,% and unsuccessful in 11.5%. Morbidity was 3.8% (one perforation after dilation). There was no mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Benign anastomotic strictures after rectal cancer surgery are frequent (7.05%), develop symptoms (52.9%) and can be successfully treated by hydrostatic dilation in more than 88% patients.

[Ventral rectal sacropexy (colpo-perineal) in the treatment of rectal and rectogenital prolapse]. / Recto (colpo, perineo) sacropexia ventral en el tratamiento del prolapso rectal y rectogenital.

INTRODUCTION: Ventral sacral-rectopexy with mesh corrects rectal prolapse and minimises rectal dissection. Subsequent colpopexy corrects apical and posterior prolapses of the vagina. The combination of both procedures can lead to the simultaneous correction of pelvic organ prolapses (POP). OBJECTIVE: To present the results of a patient series with several types of POP treated using the same approach and operation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 57 patients diagnosed with any type of POP were operated on between January 2005 and August 2008 using ventral rectal-colpo-sacropexy, who were grouped into three types: A, total rectal prolapse isolated or combined with a hysterocele or colpocele (11 patients); B, rectoenterocele with internal rectal invagination and/or descending perineum (4 patients); and C, middle and posterior genital compartment prolapse (42 patients). The laparoscopic approach was used in the 15 patients of groups A and B and 11 from group C. A biological mesh was used in 41 patients and a macroporous synthetic one in the rest. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients in the series was 66 (19-81) years, with 55 females and 2 males. The median follow up was 25 (4-48) months. There were no major post-surgical complications. A recurrence of prolapse was recorded in one patient in group A (1/11); the 7 patients who suffered from incontinence improved after the surgery, no case of de novo constipation being recorded and an improvement in 8 of the 9 patients from groups A and B with obstructive defaecation. There were 9 (21%) recurrences detected in group C, but only 4 (9%) required reintervention. In all the recurrences a biological mesh had been used. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic ventral rectal-colpo-pexy is an effective technique to correct POP. Although safe and innocuous, the results with biological meshes did not last as long.