title: Physiological and clinical outcome of anterior sphincteroplasty.
abstract: A total of 55 women underwent sphincteroplasty for the treatment of faecal incontinence related to anterior defects. Patients were followed prospectively for a mean of 29 months to evaluate the outcome overall and according to age. All patients were evaluated clinically by means of a questionnaire and graded using an incontinence scoring system ranging from 0 (perfect continence) to 20 (complete incontinence). Some 52 patients (95 per cent) had had a previous vaginal delivery and 30 (55 per cent) had a history of previous anal sphincter repair. Physiological and functional parameters in patients with a successful outcome (n = 39) were compared with those in patients with a poor outcome (n = 16). The results were also compared in patients under (n = 39) and over (n = 16) 60 years of age. Overall, patients with a successful outcome had a significant change in mean and maximal resting and squeeze pressures. These changes correlated well with the increase in the high-pressure zone (HPZ) length from 1.0-2.2 cm (P = 0.0002) and with functional outcome (change in incontinence score from 15.3 to 5.8; P < 0.0001). In patients over 60 years of age, a significant change in mean squeeze pressure (P = 0.03) and HPZ length (P = 0.01) was noted and correlated with functional outcome (change in incontinence score from 14.3 to 6.4; P < 0.0001). A successful outcome after anterior sphincteroplasty is related to improvement in sphincter function even in an older population. These results demonstrate that age itself does not seem to be a predictor of poor outcome. Patients should not be denied a repair exclusively on grounds of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Fort Lauderdale 33309, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pfeifer
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wexner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000294:innervation; D003107:Colorectal Surgery / Q000379:methods; D004576:Electromyography; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011312:Pressure; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome