Laparoscopic ventral rectopexy in patients with fecal incontinence associated with rectoanal intussusception: prospective evaluation of clinical, physiological and morphological changes

Physiological changes after laparoscopic ventral rectopexy (LVR) in patients with rectoanal intussusception (RAI) remain unclear. This study was undertaken to evaluate physiological and morphological changes after LVR for RAI, and to study clinical outcomes following LVR with special reference to fecal incontinence (FI).

The study was conducted on patients who had LVR for RAI between February 2012 and December 2016 at our institution Patients with RAI and FI were included in the study. Patients with RAI and obstructed defecation and those with RAI and neurologic FI were not included. The patients had anorectal manometry preoperatively, and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Defecography was performed before and 6 months after the procedure. FI was evaluated using the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI).

There were 34 patients (median age 77 years (range 60-93) years). Thirty-two patients (94%) were female and the median number of vaginal deliveries was 2 (range 0-5). Neither maximum resting pressure nor maximum squeeze pressure increased postoperatively. There was an overall increase in both defecatory desire volume (median preoperative 75 ml vs. 90 ml at 12 months; p = 0.002) and maximum tolerated volume (median preoperative 145 ml vs.175 ml at 12 months; p = 0.002). Postoperatively, RAI was eliminated in all patients but one, although 13 had residual rectorectal intussusception found at defecography. There was an overall reduction in both rectocele size (median preop 29 mm vs. postop 10 mm; p = 0.008) and pelvic floor descent (median preop 26 mm vs. postop 20 mm; p = 0.005). Twelve months after surgery, a reduction of at least 50% was observed in the FISI score for 31 incontinent patients (91%).

LVR for RAI produced adequate improvement of FI, and successful anatomical correction of RAI was confirmed by postoperative proctography. Postoperative increase in the rectal volume may have a positive effect on continence.