Anal sphincter reconstruction in the elderly: Does advancing age affect outcome?

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine whether advancing age affects outcome after anal sphincter reconstruction. METHOD: Anal sphincter reconstruction, performed on patients 55 years of age and older, was reviewed to determine if functional outcome was adversely affected by advancing age. A subgroup of patients was studied with anal manometry before and after repair and with pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML) before surgery. Results were compared with a younger group of patients. RESULTS: Between July 1986 and July 1991, 14 patients, ages ranging from 55 to 81, underwent anal sphincter reconstruction using an overlapping muscle repair. Ten patients were incontinent of solid stool and four of liquid stool. Improvement was seen in 13 of 14 patients: 7 (50 percent) complete control, 3 (21 percent) incontinent to flatus, and 4 (29 percent) incontinent to liquid stools (including the patient who failed to improve). Ten patients were studied with a continuous pull-out manometric technique and PNTML: one was not improved. There was minimum change in mean maximum resting pressure (35.0–37.9 mmHg). Mean maximum squeezing pressure increased from 66 to 75 mmHg overall. Patients with complete control had a mean maximum squeezing pressure of 81 mmHg compared with 60 mmHg in patients with residual incontinence. Mean anterior anal sphincter length increased from 2.92 cm to 331 cm. PNTML was normal (2.0±0.2) on one or both sides in all nine patients who improved (average, 2.1). The patient who failed to improve had abnormal nerve function bilaterally (2.4, 2.7). CONCLUSION: Anal sphincter reconstruction can be performed in elderly patients with improvements in the majority of patients. Total control can be achieved by restoring maximum squeezing pressure in a patient with normal pudendal nerve function.Poster presentation at the meeting of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, San Francisco, California, June 7 to 12, 1992.     

经会阴和经阴道三维肛外超声成像评估女性肛门括约肌的对比研究

通过经会阴和经阴道三维超声对比评估女性肛门括约肌,探讨不同肛外超声成像方式在评估女性肛门括约肌的应用价值。 方法 选取101例女性同时进行经会阴和经阴道三维超声检查对肛门括约肌进行成像,分别记为经会阴组和经阴道组。测量肛门内括约肌（IAS）和肛门外括约肌（EAS）在肛管横断面3、6、9、12点钟方向上的厚度,调节断层超声模式评估肛门括约肌损伤情况,记录结果并进行统计分析。 结果 IAS厚度测量值在肛管横断面12点钟方向上,经阴道组比经会阴组更薄,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）;EAS厚度测量值在肛管横断面6点、12点钟方向上,经阴道组比经会阴组更薄,差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。两组IAS及EAS测量值在肛管横断面全部4个方向上有良好的相关性且均具有统计学意义（P均<0.05）。经会阴组筛查出IAS损伤6例（5.94%）,EAS损伤16例（15.84%）,IAS合并EAS损伤13例（12.87%）;经阴道组筛查出IAS损伤8例（7.92%）,EAS损伤17例（16.83%）,IAS合并EAS损伤9例（8.91%）。两组在评估肛门括约肌损伤的一致性较好且具有统计学意义（Kappa=0.736,P<0.05） 结论 经会阴和经阴道三维超声在评估女性肛门括约肌具有较好的相关性和一致性,两者均为评估女性肛门括约肌良好的肛外超声成像方式。     

Treatment of Chronic Anal Fissure by Application of l-Arginine Gel: A Phase II Study in 15 Patients

PURPOSE Local application of exogenous nitric oxide donors, such as isosorbide dinitrate and glyceryl trinitrate, promotes fissure healing by reducing anal resting pressure and improving anodermal blood flow. The major drawback of these nitric oxide donors is headache. The overall incidence of this side effect is approximately 40 percent. Recently we have shown in healthy volunteers that l-arginine, being an intrinsic precursor of nitric oxide, reduces anal resting pressure without headache as a side effect. The aim of the pres-ent study was to evaluate the effect of l-arginine on anal resting pressure, anodermal blood flow, and fissure healing in patients with chronic anal fissure.METHODS Fifteen patients with a chronic anal fissure were included in the present study. Before entering the study 10 patients were unsuccessfully treated by local application of isosorbide dinitrate. Six of these patients experienced severe headache during treatment with isosorbide dinitrate. All patients were treated for at least 12 weeks by local application of a gel containing l-arginine 400 mg/ml five times a day. In patients with a persistent fissure, treatment was continued until 18 weeks. Anal manometry and laser Doppler flowmetry of the anoderm were performed before treatment, 20 minutes after local application of the first dose, and after 12 weeks of treatment. A visual analog scale was used to assess fissure-related pain and headache.RESULTS One patient dropped out after one day of treatment, and one was excluded because of violation of the study protocol. After 12 weeks of treatment complete fissure healing was observed in 3 of 13 (23 percent) patients, and after 18 weeks the healing rate was 8 of 13 (62 percent) patients. None of the 13 patients experienced typical nitric oxide-induced headache. The pressure recordings showed a significant reduction of maximum anal resting pressure (mean ± SD): pretreatment 89 ± 17 mmHg; 20 minutes after application of the first dose 67 ± 17 mmHg; 12 weeks after treatment 74 ± 14 mmHg (P < 0.005). Recordings of anodermal blood flow showed a significant increase in flow: pretreatment 0.36 ± 0.25 volts; 20 minutes after application of the first dose 0.59 ± 0.27; 12 weeks after treatment 0.64 ± 0.33 (P < 0.005).CONCLUSIONS Local application of l-arginine promotes fissure healing without headache as a side effect, and l-arginine is effective even in patients not responding to isosorbide dinitrate treatment.Norgine Research Ltd. Northwood, United Kingdom, financially supported the study.Reprints are not available.Read at the annual meeting of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Chicago, Illinois, June 3 to 8, 2002.     

Tuberculous anal sepsis

INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis is a neglected cause of anal sepsis, often is not recognized, and therefore is not treated properly. METHOD: All patients were reviewed who had tuberculous anal sepsis diagnosed by histology reports of fistulectomy specimens or abscess scrapings from January 1990 to April 1999. RESULTS: Twenty patients (median age, 53 years; 18 males) with anal tuberculous sepsis were identified. They presented with abscesses (n=2), abscesses and fistulas (n=6), or fistulas (n=12). All patients had a long history of anal complaints (3 months to 20 years), for which 15 patients were operated on previously. Nearly all fistulas (17/18) were complex, and secondary tracks or additional complicating features were common, even at first presentation. Eight patients had active concurrent pulmonary tuberculosis, and six showed evidence of previous pulmonary tuberculosis. Six patients had no signs of concurrent or previous tuberculosis elsewhere. Recurrence was observed only in cases where tuberculosis was initially not recognized, and antitubercular treatment therefore was not started. CONCLUSION: Contrary to views held previously, anal tubercular sepsis seems to have characteristic clinical features. It should be considered in cases of known pulmonary or extrapulmonary tuberculosis or if anal sepsis is persistent, recurrent, or complex in nature.     

Perianal abscess in Crohn's disease

PURPOSE: Perianal disease is frequent in patients with Crohn's disease, and many of these patients will eventually have abscess formation. In a prospective follow-up study, we evaluated factors influencing the occurrence and recurrence of perianal abscesses. METHODS: Of 126 consecutive patients with perianal Crohn's disease seen regularly in an outpatient clinic, 61 (48.4 percent) had at least one perianal abscess (mean follow-up, 32±17 months). In all, 110 episodes of an abscess with 145 anatomically distinct abscesses were documented. RESULTS: The occurrence of first abscesses was dependent on the type of anal fistula (ischiorectal, 73 percent; transsphincteric, 50 percent; superficial, 25 percent;P < 0.02). Surgical therapy consisted of seton drainage (34 percent), mushroom catheter drainage (49 percent), or incision and drainage (29 percent) and led to inactivation in all patients. Cumulative two-year recurrence rates after the first and second abscess were 54 and 62 percent, respectively. Abscess recurrence was less frequent in patients with a stoma (13 vs. 60 percent in patients without stoma after two years) and in patients with superficial anal fistulas (0 vs. 55 percent/56 percent in patients with transsphincteric/ischiorectal fistulas). Only two abscesses recurred within one year after removal of seton drainage, whereas 13 abscesses recurred with the seton still in place. Neither intestinal nor rectal activity of Crohn's disease significantly influenced the occurrence of an abscess. During the study period, only two patients developed partial stool incontinence. CONCLUSION: Development of perianal abscesses in Crohn's disease depends on the fecal stream and the anatomic type of anal fistula. Seton and catheter drainage are safe and highly effective in treatment. Long-term use of setons to prevent recurrent abscesses is not supported by our data.     

老年特发性便秘直肠肛门压力测试59例分析

目的　探讨老年慢性特发性便秘 (CIC)患者直肠肛门运动功能变化 ,　 方法 　采用瑞典Medtronic公司生产的 8通道水灌注式消化道压力检测系统对 5 9例老年CIC患者及 36例老年对照者进行直肠肛门压力测定。　 结果 　老年CIC患者最大缩榨压、模拟排便时肛管压力变化低于老年对照组 (P <0 0 5 ) ,直肠初始感觉阈值、排便阈值和最大耐受容量均高于老年对照组 (P <0 0 5 ) ,2 8例 (47 5 % )老年CIC患者模拟排便时出现肛管压力异常升高。　 结论 　老年CIC与直肠低敏感、高耐受及排便时直肠肛管运动不协调有关     

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis: Is preoperative anal manometry predictive of postoperative functional outcome?

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the value of preoperative anal manometry in predicting postoperative continence. METHODS: Anal manometry was performed in 73 consecutive patients before ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) surgery (m1), before loop ileostomy closure (m2), and at a follow-up of one (m3) and two (m4) years. Mean and maximum resting and squeezing pressures were documented at each occasion. One year after surgery, pressures were correlated (r)with an incontinence score. RESULTS: A significant (P < 0.05) decrease in mean resting pressures was observed after IPAA (m1=66 mmHg; m2=42.8 mmHg), followed by a significant (P < 0.05) improvement of mean resting pressure after loop ileostomy closure (m3 = 538 mmHg; m4 = 54.7 mmHg). Mean squeezing pressures did not change (P > 0.05) at any time during the study (m1 =114 mmHg; m2 = 102.9 mmHg; m3 = 103.4 mmHg; m4 = 95.8 mmHg). There was no correlation between preoperative mean resting pressure and postoperative (mI) incontinence score. CONCLUSION: Anal manometry showed a characteristic trend in internal anal sphincter injury after IPAA followed by recovery after ileostomy closure. However, it failed to prove helpful in the prediction of clinical outcome. Thus, although this study supports the continued use of manometry in a research setting, it challenges the value of routine manometry in a clinical context.Poster presentation at the meeting of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Chicago, Illinois, May 2 to 7, 1993.Dr. Morgado was a visiting surgeon from Centro Medico, Caracas, Venezuela. He was funded, in part, by a grant from The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Research Foundation.     

Analysis of fasting antroduodenal manometry in children

Antroduodenal manometry has been used to determine the pathophysiology associated with signs and symptoms of gastrointestinal motility disorders. The diagnostic value of antroduodenal manomentry has been limited by the paucity of data from normal children. In this study, we compared antroduodenal manometry findings from 95 patients with symptoms suggesting a gastrointestinal motility disorder to 20 control children. Phase III of the migrating motor complex (MMC) was less frequent in patients (P<0.05), especially in those who required total parenteral nutrition (P<0.001), than in controls. Abnormal migration of phase III and short intervals between phase IIIs were more frequent in patients than in controls (P<0.01 andP<0.05, respectively). During phase II, persistent low-amplitude contractions and sustained tonic-phasic contraction were found only in parenteral-nutrition-dependent children. Short or prolonged duration of phase III, absence of phase I following phase III, tonic contractions during phase III, low amplitude of phase III contractions in a single recording site and clusters of contractions or prolonged propagating contractions during phase II were not more frequent in patients than in controls. We conclude that there are five manometric features having a clear association with pediatric gastrointestinal motility disorders: (1) absence of phase III of the MMC, (2) abnormal migration of phase III, (3) short intervals between phase III episodes, (4) persistent low-amplitude contractions, and (5) sustained tonic-phasic contractions.