Defecography in normal volunteers: results and implications

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Radiology
• Pelvic Floor Disorders

Background:

• Defecographic examination is crucial for assessing anorectal function.
• Defining normal radiological findings in defecation is essential for accurate diagnosis.
• Previous studies may have inaccurately classified common findings as pathological.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the range of normal radiological findings during defecation in healthy young adults.
• To investigate the prevalence of specific radiological features, such as rectocoeles and pelvic floor descent, in a healthy population.
• To explore the implications of marginal anorectal function and common radiological findings on defecation mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment of 47 healthy young volunteers.
• Performance of defecographic examinations to assess anorectal function and morphology.
• Analysis of radiological features including anorectal angle, pelvic floor descent, rectocoeles, and intussusceptions.

Main Results:

• Normal defecation encompasses a broad range of anorectal angles and pelvic floor descent, overlapping with pathological ranges.
• Rectocoeles were frequently observed in female volunteers during defecation.
• A subset of volunteers demonstrated marginal anorectal function.

Conclusions:

• Radiological findings previously deemed pathological are common in healthy individuals during defecation.
• Marginal anorectal function and findings like rectocoeles may contribute to future defecation problems, especially with other risk factors.
• Further research is needed to fully understand the continence and defecation mechanisms in light of these findings.