Purpose This study was performed to assess the long-term annual functional outcomes and quality of life (QOL) after transanal rectocele repair.
Methods We evaluated retrospectively collected data from patients who underwent transanal repair for symptomatic rectocele between February 2012 and December 2018. The Constipation Scoring System (CSS), the Fecal Incontinence Severity Index (FISI), and several QOL questionnaires (e.g., the Patient Assessment of Constipation-QOL [PAC-QOL], Fecal Incontinence QOL, and the 36-Item Short Form Survey [SF-36]) were administered before surgery and annually after surgery. Additionally, physiological assessments and defecography were performed before and after surgery. Substantial symptom improvement, indicated by at least a 50% reduction in the CSS or FISI score, was evaluated postoperatively. All postoperative follow-up results were compared with the preoperative data.
Results Thirty-two patients were included in the study. The median follow-up period was 5 years (range, 0.5−7 years). Postoperative defecography showed that the rectocele size significantly decreased (P<0.0001). However, the physiological assessment did not reveal postoperative changes. The CSS score 1 year after surgery was significantly lower than the preoperative score (P<0.0001) and remained significantly low until the long-term follow-up. Constipation improved by more than 80% 2 to 5 years postoperatively, and fecal incontinence improved in 2/3 of the patients after 5 years. The PAC-QOL scores significantly improved (all P<0.05) over time until the 3-year and long-term follow-ups, and 6 of the 8 SF-36 scores significantly improved at specific points postoperatively.
Conclusion Transanal rectocele repair provides long-term improvement for constipation and constipation-specific QOL.
Citations
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IUGA Opinion Paper on Obstructed Defecation: Management of Clinical and Proctographic Rectoceles Suneetha Rachaneni, Hans Peter Dietz, Pallavi Latthe, Annie Sirany, Anna Spivak, Anupreet Dua International Urogynecology Journal.2026; 37(1): 75. CrossRef
Erişkin Kadınlarda Rektosele Cerrahi Yaklaşımlar: Sistematik Derleme ve Meta-Analiz Güliz Avşar, Yunus Emre Sacin, Muhammed Yasir Celenk, Mustafa Örmeci Hippocrates Medical Journal.2026; 6(1): 18. CrossRef
Transvaginal repair of rectocele for obstructed defecation syndrome: a case report Liman Zhang, Jie Yang, Qiang Wang, Lili Wang, Shuzhen Su, Lifang Wang, Shiyuan Li Journal of Surgical Case Reports.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
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Purpose Aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid (ALTA; Zion, Mitsubishi Pharma Corp.) is an effective sclerosing agent for internal hemorrhoids. ALTA therapy with a rectal mucopexy (AM) is a new approach for treating hemorrhoidal prolapse. This study compared the early postoperative outcomes of AM surgery with Doppler-guided transanal hemorrhoidal dearterialization and mucopexy (DM) in patients with third-degree hemorrhoids.
Methods AM surgery was performed on 32 patients with grade III hemorrhoids and was compared with a cohort of 22 patients who underwent DM surgery in a previous randomized controlled trial.
Results The pain scores during defecation were significantly lower in the AM patients beginning 4 days after surgery. The total use of analgesics 2 weeks postoperatively was significantly lower in the AM patients than in the DM patients (3.5 tablets [range 1.6–5.5] vs. 7.6 tablets [range 3.3–11.9], P=0.04). The length of operation, blood loss, and incidence of postoperative complications were significantly lower in the AM patients than in the DM patients. During 12 months follow-up, recurrence of prolapse occurred in 1 patient who underwent AM surgery.
Conclusion AM surgery is effective, with lower complication rates and postoperative analgesic requirements, and is a less invasive treatment for patients with grade III hemorrhoids compared to DM surgery.
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Mid-term outcome of a novel nonexcisional technique using aluminum potassium sulfate and tannic acid sclerotherapy with mucopexy on patients with grade III hemorrhoids A. Tsunoda, H. Kusanagi Techniques in Coloproctology.2023; 27(12): 1335. CrossRef
Purpose External rectal prolapse (ERP) is frequently associated with other pelvic disorders, such as enterocele, rectocele, and perineal descent. Evacuation proctography makes it possible to visualize the development of such anatomical abnormalities. The aim of this study was to identify the variables that would predict associated abnormalities in patients with ERP.
Methods Between February 2010 and August 2019, 124 female patients with ERP, who were evaluated using proctography were included in this study. Enterocele was diagnosed when the extension of the loop of the small bowel was located between the vagina and rectum. A significant rectocele was defined as >20 mm in diameter. Multivariate analysis was used to establish which morphological parameters best predicted the presence of enterocele or rectocele.
Results Sixty-five patients had ERP alone, while 59 patients (47.6%) had additional findings on proctography. The most frequently associated abnormality was enterocele with 48 of the patients (38.7%) having this condition. Rectocele was detected in 17 of the 124 patients (13.7%). The median length of the ERP was 30 mm (range, 7 to 147 mm). The results of the stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that a history of hysterectomy and the length of the ERP were significantly associated with the presence of enterocele. The analysis showed that the longer the prolapse, the higher the incidence of enterocele. A history of hysterectomy was also significantly associated with the presence of rectocele.
Conclusion Patients with ERP often have associated anatomical abnormalities and should be investigated thoroughly before planning surgical treatment.
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