title: Does surgery resolve outlet obstruction from rectocele?
abstract: In order to ascertain whether plastic surgery for rectocele is of value in the treatment of outlet obstruction, a retrospective study was made of 21 women complaining of difficulty in expelling faeces: 13 patients (group A) underwent surgery with transanal longitudinal plication of the anterior rectal wall (Block's technique), and 8 patients (group B) had colpoperineoplasty which, in 2, was associated with bladder-neck suspension following the Raz-Peyrera technique for urinary incontinence. The mean follow-up was 24.2 +/- 18.7 and 36.8 +/- 17.8 months respectively. In 11 group A patients (80.9%) and 6 group B patients (75%) cure, or an improvement, was achieved. Of the remaining 4 patients (19%), recurrent rectocele was found in 2 (one group A and one group B) and intestinal transit time tests detected colonic constipation in one group A and in one group B patient. It is concluded that surgery can resolve outlet obstruction from rectocele, but Block's technique is preferable because it is more straight-forward and easier.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Chirurgica II, Università degli Studi, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Infantino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Melega
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dodi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lise
mesh_terms: D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006547:Hernia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome