title: Use of a spiral rectal diaphragm technique to control anal sphincter incontinence in a cat.
abstract: METHODS
  A 10-year-old castrated male domestic shorthair cat was examined for a mass involving the right anal sac region.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mass was diagnosed as a fibrosarcoma, and resulted in progressive tenesmus, requiring repeated resection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surgical removal of the fibrosarcoma was performed on 4 occasions, including complete resection of the anal sphincter muscles and portions of the rectum. A perineal urethrostomy was required during the third surgical procedure secondary to tumor invasion of the preputial tissues. To reduce involuntary loss of feces, the remaining rectal wall was rotated approximately 225° prior to surgical closure during the second, third, and fourth surgical procedures. This procedure created a natural spiral diaphragm within the rectal lumen. The elastic spiral barrier reduced inadvertent fecal loss and facilitated fecal distention of the terminal portion of the colon, allowing the patient to anticipate the impending passage of feces and to use the litter tray on a daily basis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With complete loss of the terminal portion of the rectum and anal sphincter muscles, spiraling the rectum created a deformable threshold barrier to reduce excessive loss of stool secondary to fecal incontinence. On the basis of the positive outcome in this patient, this novel technique may be a useful option to consider for the treatment of cats with loss of anal sphincter function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston, MA 02130, USA. mpavletic@angell.org
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavletic
authors.forename: Matt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahn
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duddy
mesh_terms: D001003:Anal Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D000694:Anal Gland Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D002415:Cats; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012007:Rectum / Q000601:surgery*