Management of associated pelvic dysfunctions: External rectal prolapse and faecal incontinence

Abstract

Rectal prolapse syndrome (RPS) seems to be an appropriate term for a group of diseases in which rectal prolapse is just one of the signs, usually the most evident, but not necessarily the most annoying for the patient. External rectal prolapse is in itself a circumferential, full-thickness procidentia of the rectal wall through the anal orifice, a sliding hernia that develops in patients who often have a deep pouch of Douglas [1]. RPS includes several relatively well-defined clinical conditions in which full rectal prolapse, intussusception, mucosal prolapse, haemorrhoids, genital prolapse, descending or descended perineum, solitary rectal ulcer, weak pelvic floor muscles, faecal incontinence, hypertonic and nonrelaxing sphincters, constipation, rather odd personality (as stated by Goligher [2]) and eating disorders are variably associated. The nosographic setting of these conditions as a syndrome apparently has never been described in the medical literature. © 2008 Springer-Verlag Italia.