Functional results after abdominal suture rectopexy for rectal prolapse or intussusception

Area of Science:

• Colorectal surgery
• Gastroenterology
• Surgical outcomes

Background:

• Rectal prolapse and intussusception are conditions affecting the rectum.
• Suture rectopexy is a surgical technique used to treat these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the functional outcomes of abdominal suture rectopexy.
• To compare outcomes in patients with rectal prolapse versus intussusception.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study conducted at a university hospital in Sweden.
• 33 patients with rectal prolapse and 19 with intussusception underwent abdominal suture rectopexy.
• Bowel function was assessed via questionnaire a median of 97 months post-operation.

Main Results:

• Improved rectal emptying was significantly more common in the prolapse group (42%) compared to the intussusception group (5%) (p=0.005).
• Overall patient satisfaction was higher in the prolapse group (52% excellent/good) than the intussusception group (16%) (p=0.02).
• Constipation and incontinence showed trends toward improvement in the prolapse group, but not significantly.

Conclusions:

• Suture rectopexy offers a reasonable chance of improved rectal emptying and continence for patients with rectal prolapse.
• Postoperative bowel symptoms frequently worsen in patients treated for intussusception with suture rectopexy.