Abstract
Rectal compliance (dV/dP) was studied in 31 patients with fecal incontinence, 8 patients with constipation, and 16 control subjects. Patients with fecal incontinence experienced a constant defecation urge at a lower rectal volume and also had a lower maximal tolerable volume and a lower rectal compliance than control subjects (median 126 vs. 155 ml, 170 vs. 220 ml, and 9 vs. 15 ml/mm Hg, respectively;tP <0.05). Constipated patients had a higher constant defecation urge volume and maximal tolerable volume than controls (median, 266 ml and 300 ml;P <0.05). There was no differences in the parameters between patients with idiopathic fecal incontinence and patients with incontinence of traumatic origin, indicating that a poorly compliant rectum in patients with fecal incontinence may be secondary to anal incontinence due to the lack of normal reservoir function.
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Rasmussen, O., Christensen, B., Sørensen, M. et al. Rectal compliance in the assessment of patients with fecal incontinence. Dis Colon Rectum 33, 650–653 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02150739
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02150739