Prevalence of Anal Incontinence in Women With Symptoms of Urinary Incontinence and Genital Prolapse

Annual long-term functional outcomes after transanal repair for symptomatic rectocele

Purpose

This study was performed to assess the long-term annual functional outcomes and quality of life (QOL) after transanal rectocele repair.

Methods

We evaluated retrospectively collected data from patients who underwent transanal repair for symptomatic rectocele between February 2012 and December 2018. The Constipation Scoring System (CSS), the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI), and several QOL questionnaires (e.g., the Patient Assessment of Constipation-QOL [PAC-QOL], Fecal Incontinence QOL, and the 36-Item Short Form Survey [SF-36]) were administered before surgery and annually after surgery. Additionally, physiological assessments and defecography were performed before and after surgery. Substantial symptom improvement, indicated by at least a 50% reduction in the CSS or FISI score, was evaluated postoperatively. All postoperative follow-up results were compared with the preoperative data.

Results

Thirty-two patients were included in the study. The median follow-up period was 5 years (range, 0.5-7 years). Postoperative defecography showed that the rectocele size significantly decreased (P<0.0001). However, the physiological assessment did not reveal postoperative changes. The CSS score 1 year after surgery was significantly lower than the preoperative score (P<0.0001) and remained significantly low until the long-term follow-up. Constipation improved by more than 80% 2 to 5 years postoperatively, and fecal incontinence improved in 2/3 of the patients after 5 years. The PAC-QOL scores significantly improved (all P<0.05) over time until the 3-year and long-term follow-ups, and 6 of the 8 SF-36 scores significantly improved at specific points postoperatively.

Conclusion

Transanal rectocele repair provides long-term improvement for constipation and constipation-specific QOL.

Outcomes of Transvaginal Anterior Levatorplasty with Posterior Colporrhaphy for Symptomatic Rectocele

Objectives:

To clarify the long-term outcomes of transvaginal anterior levatorplasty with posterior colporrhaphy for symptomatic rectocele with defecographic changes.

Methods:

Consecutive patients undergoing transvaginal anterior levatorplasty with posterior colporrhaphy for symptomatic rectocele were prospectively registered and retrospectively reviewed using medical records. Symptoms, fecal incontinence, and defecographic findings were evaluated before and after surgery.

Results:

Fifty-seven women (mean age, 68 years) were identified, and the median disease duration was 24 months. Symptoms of vaginal mass (n = 32) and difficult defecation (n = 21) disappeared (90.6% and 71.4%, respectively) or improved (6.3% and 28.6%, respectively) after surgery. However, the feeling of residual stool was unchanged in two of eight patients. Seventeen patients who performed digitation on defecation before surgery discontinued digitation after surgery. The proportion of patients who had fecal incontinence preoperatively (40.4%) decreased significantly after surgery (17.5%) during a median follow-up period of 47 months. Defecography revealed a disappearance or improvement of rectocele in all 18 patients examined. The average rectocele size decreased significantly in six improved patients (p = 0.0006, paired t-test).

Conclusions:

Transvaginal anterior levatorplasty with posterior colporrhaphy for symptomatic rectocele was a useful option to improve symptoms and anatomical disorders in the long term, but it had limitations in improving defecatory symptoms.

Prevalence of anal sphincter defects and association with anal incontinence in women scheduled for pelvic organ prolapse surgery

AIMS

Some women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) have concomitant symptoms of anal incontinence. Our aim was to assess the prevalence of anal sphincter defects and the association with incontinence in women undergoing POP surgery.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study of 200 women scheduled for POP surgery. They answered yes/no and graded any symptoms of fecal and flatal incontinence on a visual analog scale (0-100). 3D/4D transperineal ultrasound was used to assess internal (IAS) and external anal sphincter (EAS) defects. A defect of ≥30° in ≥4 of 6 slices on tomographic imaging was regarded significant. The association between incontinence and sphincter defects was tested with multivariable logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of any sphincter defect was 50/200 (25%). Combined IAS/EAS defect was found in 19/200 (9.5%) women, 8/200 (4.0%) had isolated IAS, and 23/200 (11.5%) had isolated EAS defects. In women with defect and intact IAS, 37% and 11% reported fecal incontinence, respectively, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7-7.0), p = .147 and in women with defect versus intact EAS, 36% and 9% had fecal incontinence, aOR 4.0 (95% CI, 1.5-10.8), p = .005. In women with defect and intact IAS, 85% versus 43% reported flatal incontinence, aOR 5.2 (95% CI, 1.6-17.2), p = .007 and in women with defect versus intact EAS, 71% versus 43% had flatal incontinence, aOR 1.9 (95% CI, 0.8-4.5), p = .131.

CONCLUSIONS

One of four women scheduled for POP surgery had an anal sphincter defect. EAS defects were associated with fecal incontinence and IAS defects were strongly associated with flatal incontinence.