[A new clinical evaluation scale for incontinence: its use in anorectal atresias]

We present a clinical scoring system to obtain a quantitative and accurate assessment of anorectal incontinence. We evaluate ten components, each of one is pointed between 0 and two, then overall incontinence punctuation (I.P.) is between 0 and 20. Variables define clinical data relative to patient's intestinal habits and hygienic methods, voluntary control degree of defecation and repercussion of patient's incontinence in social and physical capabilities. Punctuation lower than nine concerns to a poor continence; It is fair between nine and 14 points and 15 or higher punctuation indicates a good continence mechanism. This incontinence punctuation method (I.P.) has been applied to 23 patients, aged between two and 17 years, operated because high imperforate anus by PSARP procedure in 15 cases and by abdomino-perineal pull-through according to Romualdi-Soave technique in eight cases. We found statistic significative difference between the group of patients aged less than 5 years and the group aged between 5 and 10 years. There is not statistic significative differences between the two procedures used in surgical treatment, although I.P. is slightly higher in cases operated by PSARP procedure than in cases treated with Romualdi-Soave technique, when we compare the two groups with similar mean age.