[End-to-end anastomosis in the primary repair of anal sphincter laceration occurring during delivery].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the quality of end-to-end anastomosis in the primary repair of anal sphincter laceration occurring during delivery.


METHODS
Forty-nine women with third degree perineal laceration (PL III) and 42 controls were included in a 3-year postpartal follow-up study.


RESULTS
Ultrasound showed end-to-end anastomosis to be inadequate in 22 (48.1 %) women. Thirty-one (63.2 %) women developed grade I-III anal incontinence.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no correlation between ultrasound findings and the presence of anal incontinence. The unsatisfactory sonomorphometric outcome after 6 weeks results from inadequate repair with retraction of the sphincter ends. Defects newly demonstrated after 36 months indicate dedifferentiating atrophy with damage to peripheral motor nerves.
Kantonsspital Baden, Schweiz. a.gauruder@alexius.de
A
A
Gauruder-Burmester
R
R
Tunn
M
M
Häberle
M K
MK
Hohl
D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D014456:Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014463:Ultrasonography