[Radiologic diagnosis of anal incontinence]

Defaecography was performed in 47 consecutive patients with faecal incontinence. A gap in the anal canal with spontaneous leakage of contrast medium was observed in 19 patients and demonstrated a severe disturbance of sphincteric function. In 13 cases, an anorectal angle of more than 120 degrees that did not change during voluntary sphincter contraction and the missing dorsal impression of the anorectal junction indicated a damage of the puborectalis muscle. A rectocele was detected in 18 patients, an intussusception in 14 patients, and a complete rectal prolapse in 3 patients. Thus, mechanisms of faecal incontinence can be elucidated radiologically in more than one half of the patients examined. However, the high prevalence of a rectocele or an intussusception in patients with faecal incontinence causes doubt whether these alterations of rectal morphology are functionally relevant in the majority of patients with faecal incontinence.