Descending perineum syndrome: are abdominal hysterectomy and bowel habits linked?
OBJECTIVE
This retrospective study evaluates the effect of abdominal hysterectomy on patients affected by descending perineum syndrome.


METHODS
Eighty-nine female patients affected by descending perineum syndrome and one group of 10 healthy women with normal bowel habits were studied retrospectively. Thirty-two descending perineum syndrome patients (Group 1) had received an abdominal hysterectomy for benign diseases, while 57 descending perineum syndrome patients (Group 2) had not undergone this surgery. All 99 subjects underwent clinical evaluation, computerized anorectal manometry, and defecography.


RESULTS
Dyschezia was found predominantly in Group 2 subjects (P < 0.05). Fecal incontinence was significantly higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (P < 0.05). The worst anal resting pressure was found in the incontinent Group 1 patients (P < 0.01). Rectoanal intussusception was a significant defecographic sign in Group 1 subjects (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical evaluation and instrumental data suggested a possible link between fecal incontinence and abdominal hysterectomy in patients affected by descending perineum syndrome.
Pucciani
Filippo
F
Dipartimento di Area Critica Medico-Chirurgica, Sezione di Clinica Chirurgica Generale e Discipline Chirurgiche, Unità di Colon-Proctologia, Università di Firenze, Firenze-Careggi, Italy. pucciani@unifi.it
Boni
Daniele
D
Perna
Federico
F
Bassotti
Gabrio
G
Bellini
Massimo
M
D000368:Aged; D003248:Constipation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019841:Defecography; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D007443:Intussusception / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000503:physiopathology; D010502:Perineum / Q000473:pathology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013577:Syndrome