title: [The long-term results of mechanical anal sphincteroclasis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The long-term results of 36 patients operated of manual dilatation of the anus are presented. Chronic anal fissure or benign anal stricture have been treated by this procedure in the years '80s.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients have been in part clinically examined and the other called up by phone interview. Average follow-up is 78 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nobody has been re-operated for the same cause, but 2 patients underwent sphincter sparing operation for rectal cancer. Twenty-five patients (72%) completely recovered, 5 (12.5%) complain sometimes from sudden anal pain and 3 (8%) report minor incontinence problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These long-term results do not confirm disastrous conclusions reported by other authors in the literature, even if the incidence of continence disorders is higher than in anal sphincterotomies.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Chirurgia, Ospedale Gradenigo, Ente Autonomo, Torino.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mattio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benedetto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Filippa
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramellini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D004106:Dilatation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005401:Fissure in Ano / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome