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Defecography

Results of investigations in 2,816 patients

  • Original Contributions
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Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was designed to analyze the frequency of different findings at defecography in patients with defecation disorders and see in what way the evaluation could be improved. METHODS: The reports of investigations in 2,816 patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-three percent of the investigations were considered normal. Thirty-one percent of the patients had rectal intussusception, 13 percent had rectal prolapse, 27 percent had rectocele, and 19 percent had enterocele. Twenty-one percent of the patients had a combination of two or three of these diagnoses. The combination of rectocele and enterocele was rare. The majority of patients with enterocele had other concomitant findings. Patients with or without abnormal perineal descent had similar frequencies of rectal prolapse, rectal intussusception, and enterocele. Rectocele was more common in patients with abnormal perineal descent. CONCLUSIONS: Defecography is valuable when investigating patients with defecation disorders. Pathologic findings were found in 77 percent of the patients. A standardized protocol should ensure a complete evaluation of defecography.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Karolinska Institutet at Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    Anders Mellgren M.D., Claes Johansson M.D., Anders Dolk M.D. & Bo Holmström M.D.

  2. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Karolinska Institutet at Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden

    Staffan Bremmer M.D., Rolf Udén M.D. & Sven-Olof Ahlbäck M.D.

Authors
  1. Anders Mellgren M.D.
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  2. Staffan Bremmer M.D.
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  3. Claes Johansson M.D.
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  4. Anders Dolk M.D.
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  5. Rolf Udén M.D.
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  6. Sven-Olof Ahlbäck M.D.
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  7. Bo Holmström M.D.
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Additional information

Read in part at the 14th Biennial Congress of University Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Crete, Greece, October 25 to 29, 1992.

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Mellgren, A., Bremmer, S., Johansson, C. et al. Defecography. Dis Colon Rectum 37, 1133–1141 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02049817

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02049817

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