title: Rectal compliance in the assessment of patients with fecal incontinence.
abstract: Rectal compliance (dV/dP) was studied in 31 patients with fecal incontinence, 8 patients with constipation, and 16 control subjects. Patients with fecal incontinence experienced a constant defecation urge at a lower rectal volume and also had a lower maximal tolerable volume and a lower rectal compliance than control subjects (median 126 vs. 155 ml, 170 vs. 220 ml, and 9 vs. 15 ml/mm Hg, respectively; P less than 0.05). Constipated patients had a higher constant defecation urge volume and maximal tolerable volume than controls (median, 266 ml and 300 ml; P less than 0.05). There was no differences in the parameters between patients with idiopathic fecal incontinence and patients with incontinence of traumatic origin, indicating that a poorly compliant rectum in patients with fecal incontinence may be secondary to anal incontinence due to the lack of normal reservoir function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery D, Glostrup Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tetzschner
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Christiansen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000503:physiopathology; D003187:Compliance; D003248:Constipation / Q000503:physiopathology; D003672:Defecation; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011312:Pressure; D012007:Rectum / Q000503:physiopathology*