Clinical and manometric evaluation of rectal prolapse and incontinence

The clinical presentation and manometric findings in 46 patients with rectal prolapse and/or incontinence are reported. Basal and maximal squeeze pressures in the anal canal of patients with prolapse alone did not differ from the pressures in age and sex-matched controls whereas anal pressures in both groups of patients with incontinence were significantly lower than in controls. Physiotherapy and faradism had no therapeutic value in rectal prolapse but gave improvement in 30 per cent of patients with incontinence. Rectopexy gave satisfactory results in all the patients with prolapse and improved incontinence in 70 per cent. Post-anal repair cured 87 per cent of patients with idiopathic anorectal incontinence or with persistent incontinence after rectopexy. No form of treatment was associated with any significant elevation of anal pressures.