[Development and clinical anatomy of the rectal adventitia. significance for radical operation of rectal carcinoma]

Unteres, kloakogenes Rektumviertel

The distal quarter of the rectum is derived from the cloaca and can be viewed as a specialized "sensory organ". Only the proximal three quarters of the rectum stem phylogenetically from intestinal tissues. Therefore, only this upper portion has an associated mesorectum. A significant amount of data support the notion that profound differences exist between the enterogenic, upper segments and the cloacogenic, lower segment of the rectum: 1. differing supply with blood and lymph vessels, 2. embryologic and comparative anatomic findings, 3. the central support system provided by Denonvilliers' fascia, 4. specialized innervation, 5. malformations of the continence organ, 6. findings on magnetic resonance images and histologic macro sections, 7. findings on PET-CT images, 8. the muscular wall architecture of different portions of the rectum, 9. differences in basic function (storage vs continence), 10. location of most postoperative local recurrences of rectal carcinomas, even when complete mesorectal resection was performed, since hundred years.

PET-CT-Untersuchungen der Halterung und Kontinenz der Beckenorgane

Like all other organs in the chest or abdominal cavities, pelvic organs are not suspended by specialized ligaments such as those in the skeletomuscular system. In spite of this, the organs of the pelvis remain well suspended within their cavity even during evacuation. This support system for these organs consists of inconspicuous smooth muscle elements scattered throughout pelvic structural fat tissue and fascial structures, in particular Denonvilliers' fascia. We used PET-CT studies to identify spontaneous muscle activity in the pelvis, which is strongest at Denonvilliers' fascia. We were able to correlate continence function, filling, and evacuation of pelvic organs with this spontaneous muscle activity that leads to stiffening and relaxation of the muscular walls of these organs. During the course of different disease processes such as visceral prolapse, these pelvic support structures are prone to fail gradually. Surgical interventions should take the pelvic support system into account to avoid therapeutic errors.

Rectocele: pathogenesis and surgical management

BACKGROUND

Rectocele is a common finding in patients with intractable evacuatory disorders. Although much rectocele surgery is conducted by gynecologists en passant with other forms of vaginal surgery, many reports lack appreciation of the importance of coincident anorectal symptoms, and do not report functional and clinical outcome data. The pathogenesis of rectocele is still controversial, as is the embryological and anatomical importance of the rectovaginal septum as well as recognizable defects in its integrity and its relevance in formal repair when rectocele is operated upon as the principal condition in patients with intractable evacuatory difficulty.

DISCUSSION

The investigation and surgical management of rectocele is controversial given the relatively small numbers of operated patients in any single specialist unit and the relative lack of prospective data concerning functional outcome in operated cases. The imaging of rectocele patients is currently in a state of change, and the newer diagnostic modalities including dynamic magnetic resonance imaging frequently display a multiplicity of pelvic floor disorders. When surgery is indicated, coloproctologists most commonly utilize an endorectal defect-specific repair, but there are few controlled randomized data regarding outcome and response criteria of specific symptoms with particular surgical approaches. A Medline-based literature search was conducted for this review to assess the clinical results of defect-specific rectocele repairs using the endorectal, transvaginal, transperineal, or combined approaches. Only the studies are included that report both pre- and postoperative symptoms including constipation, evacuatory difficulty, pelvic pain, the impression of a pelvic mass, fecal incontinence, dyspareunia or the need for assisted digitation to aid defecation.

CONCLUSION

The history of rectocele repair, its clinical and diagnostic features and the advantages, disadvantages and indications for the different surgical techniques are presented in this review. Suggested diagnostic and surgical therapeutic algorithms for management have been included. It is recommended that a multicenter controlled randomized trial comparing surgical approaches for symptomatic evacuatory dysfunction where rectocele is the principal abnormality should be conducted.