title: Colorectal transport during defecation in subjects with supraconal spinal cord injury.
abstract: METHODS
  Clinical study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore how supraconal spinal cord injury (SCI) affects colorectal emptying at defecation. Further, to relate findings to subject symptomatology expressed by bowel function scores and gastrointestinal transit time (GITT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  Colorectal contents were marked by oral intake of (111)In-coated resin pellets. Movement of stools at defecation was assessed by comparing scintigrams performed before and just after defecation. Results from 15 subjects with SCI (14 males, median age=47 years (range: 22-74 years), SCI level: C5-Th9) were compared with those from 16 healthy volunteers (12 males, median age=31 years (range: 24-42 years)). Bowel symptoms were described from standard symptom scores, and GITT was assessed by radiopaque markers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median emptying at defecation was 31% of the rectosigmoid (range: 0% to complete emptying of the rectosigmoid and 49% of the descending colon) in subjects with SCI and 89% of the rectosigmoid (range: 53% to complete emptying of the rectosigmoid and the descending colon, and 3% of the transverse colon) in the control group (P<0.01). Colorectal emptying at defecation was associated with the St Mark's fecal incontinence score (P=0.02) but not with the Cleveland constipation score (P=0.17), the neurogenic bowel dysfunction score (P=0.12) or GITT (P=0.99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supraconal SCI results in significantly reduced emptying of stools at defecation. This is independent of changes in GITT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. mikkrs@rm.dk
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krogh
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Clemmensen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bluhme
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rawashdeh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003106:Colon / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology*; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055496:Neurogenic Bowel / Q000503:physiopathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012007:Rectum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes