Experience of posterior division of the puborectalis muscle in the management of chronic constipation

Nine women with severe chronic constipation who were unable to expel a water-filled rectal balloon underwent posterior division of the puborectalis muscle. Pre-operative concentric needle electromyography and measurement of the anorectal angle at rest and during straining suggested that the puborectalis muscle failed to relax during attempted defaecation in these patients. Two patients reported improvement after surgery and had normal balloon expulsion after operation. However seven patients reported no benefit from surgery and tests of defaecatory function and anorectal angle did not change. Incontinence for solid stool was not reported following puborectalis muscle division although five patients reported incontinence of flatus, liquid stool and mucus.     

Operative management of severe constipation

This report investigates the concept that severe constipation requiring major abdominal surgery may result from one of three common causes: 1) colonic inertia, 2) pelvic hiatal hernia, or 3) both colonic inertia and pelvic hernia. This study evaluates the symptoms, anatomy and outcome in 201 patients with severe surgical constipation treated by a single surgeon. In 2042 patients with constipation referred to one colon and rectal surgeon, 211 major abdominal surgical procedures were performed on 201 patients for severe constipation between 1989 and 1999. There were 187 women and 14 men. Mean age was 49 years (range, 9-84). Five high-risk patients had ileostomy; 196 had major colonic surgery for anatomic or physiologic causes of constipation, excluding malignancy, diverticular disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. Pelvic hiatal hernia was defined as the herniation of bowel through the hiatus of the pelvic diaphragm seen on pelvic videofluoroscopy or physical examination. Of these 196 patients, 44 per cent had pelvic hiatal hernia repair (PHHR), 27 per cent had total abdominal colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis for colonic inertia, and 29 per cent had surgery for both colonic inertia and pelvic hiatal hernia. Of the 144 patients undergoing PHHR, 95 had Gore-Tex patch (W. L. Gore and Associates, Inc., Phoenix, AZ) sacral colpopexy. PHHR for pelvic hiatal hernia without colonic inertia included sigmoid resection, rectopexy, and Gore-Tex patch sacral colpopexy. Mean duration of follow-up was 20 months. Symptoms noted preoperatively included abdominal pain (84%), straining at stool (90%), incomplete rectal emptying (85%), painful bowel movements (74%), pelvic pain (69%), vaginal bulge (55%), digital assistance with evacuation (35%), and incontinence of stool (38%). Outcome assessed by symptom relief was successful in 89.1 per cent of patients. 8.6 per cent of patient conditions were unchanged, and 2.3 per cent were unsatisfied with the outcome. There were no postoperative deaths. The complication rate was 6.1 per cent (small bowel obstruction, 7; anastomotic leak, 2; ureteral stenosis, 2; and patch erosion, 1). In our experience, severe surgical constipation can be due to colonic inertia, pelvic hiatal hernia, or both. Careful preoperative evaluation identifies these disorders, and surgical therapy aimed at correction of anatomic and physiologic defects results in high patient satisfaction and improvement in bowel function.     

Lateral ligament division during rectopexy causes constipation but prevents recurrence: results of a prospective randomized study.

Denervation of the rectum during rectopexy has been suggested as a reason for postoperative constipation. Bowel symptoms and anorectal function have been examined in a prospective randomized study of rectopexy with (n = 14) or without (n = 12) division of the lateral ligaments. Incontinence improved in both groups of patients. Division of the lateral ligaments increased the number of patients with constipation (three before operation, ten after operation, P less than 0.01). Mean and canal pressures were higher after operation in all patients. Rectal electrical sensory threshold increased significantly in those in whom the ligaments had been divided (preoperative 27.6 mA versus postoperative 56.7 mA; P less than 0.01) but not in those in whom they were preserved (39.0 versus 34.9 mA; P greater than 0.05). Prolapse recurred in six patients who did not undergo division of the lateral ligaments, but in none of the group in whom the ligaments were divided.     

耻骨直肠肌全束部分切断+自体闭孔内肌移植术治疗盆底痉挛综合征的临床效果评价(附42例分析)

目的探讨耻骨直肠肌全束部分切断+自体闭孔内肌移植术治疗盆底痉挛综合征的疗效及安全性。方法 42例盆底痉挛综合征患者采用耻骨直肠肌全束部分切断+自体闭孔内肌移植术治疗。结果平均手术时间50分钟(39~100分钟),平均术后住院时间9.6天(7~19天),随访12个月,手术前后肛管静息压分别为(55.95±5.57)mmHg、(43.19±5.16)mmHg,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);手术前后肛管收缩压分别为(164.21±11.02)mmHg、(137.40±7.61)mmHg,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);手术前后肛管力排压分别为(128.31±16.93)mmHg、(81.33±8.37)mmHg,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。手术前后出口梗阻型便秘症状(ODS)评分分别为(15.83±4.52)分、(5.90±3.69)分,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);手术前后Wexner评分分别为0分、(0.71±0.81)分,差异有统计学意义(P0.05),但术后Wexner评分均≤3分,未出现严重肛门失禁。手术前后便秘患者生存质量量表(PAC-QOL)评分(不满意)分别为(44.21±5.12)分、(14.36±2.92)分,差异有统计学意义(P0.05),手术前后PAC-QOL评分(满意)分别为0分、(10.02±2.67)分,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论耻骨直肠肌全束部分切断+自体闭孔内肌移植术术式操作简单、治愈率高、效果确切,并发症少。     

Surgical management of severe constipation due to slow transit and obstructed defecation syndrome

Chronic constipation is a common frustrating condition. It is classified according to symptoms, physical exam, and diagnostic testing into three categories: slow colonic transit, obstructed defecation, and a combination of these two entities. Each category has different treatment algorithms, but medical therapy including dietary changes and biofeedback training (for obstructed defecation) should always be tried first. If appropriate medical therapy fails, several surgical options could be considered, though data regarding their efficacy is mixed.     

Changes in the mean echogenicity and area of the puborectalis muscle during pregnancy and postpartum

Introduction and hypothesis

Three-dimensional (3D) and four-dimensional (4D) volume transperineal ultrasound imaging is increasingly used to assess changes in the dimensions of the pelvic floor during pregnancy and after delivery. Little is known with regard to the area of the puborectalis muscle and its structural changes. Echogenicity measurement, a parameter that provides information on the structure of muscles, is increasingly used in orthopaedics and neuromuscular disease evaluation. This study is aimed at assessing the changes in the mean echogenicity of the puborectalis muscle (MEP) and the puborectalis muscle area (PMA) during first pregnancy and after childbirth.

Methods

The MEP and PMA of 254 women during first pregnancy were measured at 12 and 36 weeks’ gestation and 6 months postpartum. To determine the effect of child-birth on MEP and PMA, the results at 6 months postpartum were separately analysed for vaginal deliveries, operative vaginal deliveries (ventouse) and caesarean section deliveries. Mean differences in MEP and PMA were analysed using ANOVA statistics.

Results

The MEP at 6 months postpartum was, independent of manoeuvre, significantly (p?<?0.001) lower than MEP values during pregnancy. After caesarean delivery, the PMA was significantly smaller at maximum pelvic floor contraction than PMA after vaginal delivery (p?=?0.003) or operative vaginal delivery (p?=?0.002).

Conclusion

Our study indicates that structural changes in the puborectalis muscle during and after pregnancy, as measured by MEP, occur and can be analysed. In addition, the mode of delivery affects the area of the puborectalis during contraction after delivery. For true volume analysis, as part of an assessment of contractility of the puborectalis muscle we will need 3D volume analysis.

     

Minimal criteria for the diagnosis of avulsion of the puborectalis muscle by tomographic ultrasound

Introduction and hypothesis  

Puborectalis avulsion is a likely etiological factor for female pelvic organ prolapse (FPOP). We performed a study to establish minimal sonographic criteria for the diagnosis of avulsion.     

Clinical results of colectomy for severe constipation

Subtotal colectomy has been performed in 40 patients with severe constipation. Only one patient was male. Five patients (13 per cent) had a history of a serious psychiatric disorder. Twenty-six patients (65 per cent) could not expel a 100-ml air-filled balloon and 19 patients (48 per cent) had electromyographic evidence of abnormal puborectalis contraction during attempted defaecation before operation. Median preoperative passage of 50 radio-opaque markers over 5 days was 16 per cent. Sixteen patients had had a previous anorectal myectomy to exclude Hirschsprung's disease. Initial resections were subtotal colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis (n = 34), caecorectal (n = 5) or ileosigmoid (n = 1) anastomosis. Secondary operations included restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (n = 6) and six patients eventually had an ileostomy. Median bowel frequency per week significantly increased after operation (0.3 (range 0-1) preoperatively to 21 (range 2-70) postoperatively, P less than 0.005), the percentage of patients with abdominal pain fell after operation from 93 to 39 per cent but symptoms of abdominal distension remained the same (86 per cent preoperatively and 82 per cent postoperatively).     

Role of anorectal manometry in children with severe constipation

Objective Constipation is one of the most frequent disorders of the digestive tract in children and it can be an important problem in paediatric and surgical practice. Most of the time, the cause is psychological or because of a slowing of colonic transit, but it can be a sign of organic gastrointestinal outlet obstruction. Some patients with chronic constipation are resistant to a medical approach and they present with a severe form of constipation that needs recurrent hospital admission. Anorectal manometry (ARM) is a noninvasive procedure and it helps to explain the mechanisms of defecation disorders. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of ARM in children with severe constipation. Method From October 2003 to October 2006, in the Paediatric Surgery Unit, 85 children – aged more than 1 year – with severe constipation were seen. The mean age was 5 years (range, 1–13). At presentation, every child had abdominal and rectal examination in order to identify abdominal distension or faecal masses. Bowel preparation with enemas was performed before ARM in patient with a rectal faecaloma. Myoelectric activity of the internal anal sphincter and resting anal tone was recorded; recto‐anal inhibitory reflex (RAIR) was tested to exclude Hirschsprung’s disease (HD). Anal tone was considered normal until 50 cm H₂O. When the RAIR was absent, the patient underwent rectal suction biopsies (RSB) for histology and acetylcholinesterase histochemistry. In cases of normal or high anal tone with the RAIR present, the child had bowel cleaning, medical treatment, 2‐ and 6‐month follow‐up. Children with ineffective treatment at follow‐up underwent RSB. In case of HD, a laparoscopic‐assisted endorectal pull‐through (ERPT) according to Georgeson’s technique was performed. Results Seventy per cent of the patients had bowel preparation before ARM. In four patients the ARM was impossible to assess because of crying. In 28 patients, the anal tone result was higher than 50 cm H₂O and local treatment with anaesthetic agents was used for 8 weeks. Seventeen patients underwent RSB: 11 patients with RAIR absent/unclear, 4 noncooperative children and 2 patients with ineffective medical treatment at follow‐up. HD was diagnosed in 2 patients and laparoscopic‐assisted ERPT was performed. The remaining patients had good results at 6‐month follow‐up. Conclusion ARM is a noninvasive diagnostic tool to study the mechanism of defecation in children with constipation in order to prescribe the appropriate treatment. This procedure can be used in every child – aged more than 1 year – with severe constipation and assessment of the RAIR can select the cases for RSB.     

Long-term management of chronic constipation in children

A retrospective clinical study was conducted to determine the success of a strict regimen employing the prolonged use of daily enemas in 203 children with chronic constipation. This study confirmed that the use of long-term daily enemas did eliminate constipation as well as the primary complaint of fecal soiling. The majority of children treated had an excellent to good result (85.8%) over an extended period of time. Patients with a past medical history of imperforate anus or Hirschsprung's disease required longer treatment periods (32.6 and 20.1 months, respectively) than children with other medical problems (rectal prolapse, rectal stricture, malrotation, spina bifida, mental retardation, psychological; 13 months) or patients with functional constipation (5.9 months).     

经骶尾入路离断部分耻直肌治疗耻骨直肠肌综合征的临床疗效

目的探讨经骶尾入路离断部分耻直肌治疗耻骨直肠肌综合征的临床疗效。方法耻骨直肠肌综合征60例,随机分为治疗组和对照组,每组30例。治疗组用骶尾入路离断部分耻直肌治疗,对照组采用耻骨直肠肌切断缝合术,观察术后住院治疗半个月及出院后3个月疗效。结果治疗组痊愈15例,显效9例,有效5例,无效1例;对照组痊愈8例,显效12例,有效5例,无效5例。结论经骶尾入路离断部分耻直肌治疗耻骨直肠肌综合征疗效确切,且创伤小,止血便利,操作简单。     

A case report of the pectoralis major muscle flap in the successful management of severe mediastinal infection

A severe, post-mediansternotomy, mediastinitis was treated with pectoral muscle flap method. About 10 days after CABG this patient had purulent discharge, high fever, and unstable sternum. Under a diagnosis of mediastinitis, wound irrigation and systemic administration with antibiotics began, but these managements were ineffective. Therefore, we closed the chest primarily by the pectoral muscle flap method. Successful primary closure of the chest was accomplished.