Rectal intussusception and rectal prolapse: detection and postoperative evaluation with defecography

The authors studied pre- and post-operative defecograms in 20 patients with rectal intussusception and three with rectal prolapse to assess the value of defecography in detection of these conditions. Eleven patients also had solitary rectal ulcers. Two to 3 months after surgery, patients underwent defecography, and results were correlated with postoperative symptoms. In all three patients with rectal prolapse, and 13 of 20 with intussusception, findings on postoperative defecograms were normal and symptoms were gone. Abnormalities and symptoms persisted in two patients and recurred in another two. In five patients, symptoms persisted despite normal defecographic findings. In 11 patients with solitary rectal ulcers, rectal lesions were cured in nine; in two, intussusception and rectal lesions recurred. Thus, presence or absence of solitary rectal ulcer corresponded to postoperative symptoms in all cases. Symptoms and postoperative defecographic findings corresponded in 20. This study suggests that rectal intussusception and prolapse most likely lead to defecation disorders and that defecography is useful in detecting them.