Midterm functional outcome after laparoscopic ventral rectopexy for external rectal prolapse.

Area of Science:

• Colorectal surgery
• Minimally invasive procedures
• Patient-reported outcomes

Background:

• Limited data on long-term functional outcomes and quality of life (QOL) after laparoscopic ventral rectopexy for external rectal prolapse (ERP).
• Need for repetitive functional and QOL assessments to evaluate surgical effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess midterm annual functional results and quality of life (QOL) following laparoscopic ventral rectopexy for external rectal prolapse (ERP).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 58 patients undergoing laparoscopic ventral rectopexy for ERP.
• Utilized Fecal Incontinence Severity Index, Constipation Scoring System, SF-36, and Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life scale for pre- and post-operative assessments.

Main Results:

• Low morbidity (no mortality/major complications) and recurrence rate (2%) after a median follow-up of 49 months.
• Significant midterm improvements in fecal incontinence and constipation scores, sustained for up to 5 years.
• Enhanced fecal incontinence-specific QOL scores were observed for 4 years; general QOL (SF-36) showed improvement up to 6 months, with diminishing returns thereafter.

Conclusions:

• Laparoscopic ventral rectopexy for ERP is associated with low morbidity and recurrence.
• The procedure leads to midterm improvements in functional outcomes and fecal incontinence-specific quality of life.