Laser haemorrhoidoplasty (LHP) with the 1470 nm diode laser in minimally invasive surgery for advanced haemorrhoid disease has been studied with respect to clinical variables, such as pain and complications, and intraoperative characteristics such as mucopexia, number of treated knots and energy consumed per patient. The study also included patient satisfaction, symptom relevance and cost effectiveness. Between November 2010 and November 2016, 497 patients (age 55 ± 14 years) were submitted to laser haemorrhoidoplasty with a 1470 nm diode laser in the centre for minimally invasive proctology in Siegen District Hospital. All operated patients were included in the study. Perioperative clinical and technical data up to 6 weeks and follow-up data up to 6 months were analysed prospectively. The mean duration of operation was 14 min (± 5.2). A mean of 2.7 knots of 2.7 size were treated per patient. The mean postoperative pain was 2.5/10 (VAS). Long-term symptom relevance was 86%, and patient satisfaction 91%. Complications occurred in 49 patients (9.9%): bleeding 1.8%, infection 1%, urine retention 1.8%, oedema/thrombosis/prolapse 6.6%. 8.8% of patients suffered a relapse within 6 months. There were significant differences in pain on the day of the operation, and the parameters mucopexia, 3 treated segments and energy level > 500 J (p < 0.05). Complications were more common when mucopexia was performed, with 3 treated knots and energy consumed per patient > 500 J. The only significant difference was for energy level > 500 J (p < 0.05). LHP is a safe, low pain and minimally invasive surgical procedure with long-term good patient acceptance and satisfaction and is suited for routine work. The energy applied should be reduced to a minimum. Complication rates are largely comparable with those of other minimally invasive conventional methods. Additional prospective studies must be performed, particularly in comparison to the Parks method, which gives similar functional results. With circular confluent findings, LHP cannot replace stapler hemorrhoidopexia.

The incidence of infection was compared after the use of synthetic implants in abdominal rectopexy with (145 patients) and without (77 patients) synchronous colon resection. Three different materials were used, including polyvinyl alcohol (Ivalon) (n = 87), polyglactin (Vicryl) mesh (n = 109), and Gore-Tex (n = 26). In patients have colonic resection two (3.7%) pelvic infections occurred in the polyvinyl alcohol (Ivalon) group, one abdominal infection with polyglactin (Vicryl) and none with Gore-Tex. In the group without colonic resection, two patients (3.0%) developed infection after polyvinyl alcohol (Ivalon) insertion with one occurring after polyglactin (Vicryl) or Gore-Tex. Overall mortality was 0.4%. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 120 months. There were 3 (1.9%) cases of recurrent prolapse in 151 patients with full-thickness rectal prolapse.

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In a prospective study carried out on 78 patients with chronic constipation (31, with slow transit, 47 with obstructive defecation disorders) the evacuation function of the rectum during defecation was assessed by defecoflowmetry. These patients were compared to a control group of normal volunteers (n = 32). The following parameters were evaluated: defecation and retention volume, defecation fraction, defecation time, maximum flow, mean flow rate and time to maximum flow. As expected, there was no difference in evacuation function between the group of patients with slow transit and the control group. Significant differences, however, existed between the two types of constipation, as well as between obstructive defecation disease and controls, regarding all parameters mentioned above. Evacuation function depends neither on rectal neck pressure nor on intrarectal pressure. In patients with obstructive defecation disorders, three subgroups were discernable: one with prolonged time of defecation and satisfactory evacuation, one with prolonged time of defecation and poor evacuation, and one small group of patients who were not able to defecate. Each group is based on a different underlying pathomechanism. We conclude that changes in evacuation function of the rectum refer either to volume or to time of defecation, or to both. Changes are found only in obstructive type constipation, not in slow transit constipation. Therefore, defeconflowmetry as a dynamic procedure can be used in screening for the classification of chronic constipation.

Hemorrhoidectomy using a circular stapler leads to a significant reduction of the anal resting pressure, whereas squeezing pressures remain constant. The reduction is more pronounced if a Parks' retractor is used.

We report on the case of a 64-year-old female patient who presented herself in our outpatient clinic because of a perianal fistula with recurrent abscesses. We describe the step diagnostics and the surgical treatment of the causal sigmoido-perianal fistula with diverticulitis and Cul de sac situation. Clinical examination, fistulography, colonoscopy and MRT were part of the precise representation and preparation for the high anterior rectosigmoidal resection with simultaneous rectopexy according to Sudeck which were performed without complications. The sigmoidoperianal fistula must be taken into account as a differential diagnosis of a recalcitrant high perianal fistula.

The dysplasia of anal sphincter represents an obstructive defecation disorder. The disease is known as "anterior displaced anus" in pediatric surgery. An anorectal malformation with missing dorsal osseous fixation of the sphincter complex is the underlying cause. Beyond clinical symptoms and examination result (anterior displaced anus with palpable dorsal gap) the defect can be visualized by computered tomography. A surgical correction is possible by the simple intervention of dorsal sphincteropexy. In our trial with 48 patients (male n = 12, female n = 36, mean age 51 +/- 17 years, follow-up in 39 patients) a significant improvement of defecation could be achieved in 46 % of the patients. In correlation to a good clinical outcome a significant reduction in the defecation score was observed. 10 % of the patients had only small changes in symptoms. However, the proportion of dissatisfied patients was relatively high with 44 %. In this group patients with long-standing chronic constipation and laxative abusus were found more often and the rate of previous anal or abdominal surgery was quite higher. Dissatisfied patients showed a higher variation in symptoms of pelvic floor disorders (e. g. anal pain syndrome) besides the rectal evacuation disorder. In addition to the heterogenity of symptoms chronic alterations of pelvic floor structures might create worse results in patients with chronic constipation. In spite of a lot of publications dealing with the functional anatomy of the pelvic floor only a few investigations on the dorsal sphincter dysplasia in patients with rectal evacuation disorder are found in the literature. Further investigations on this disorder are necessary.

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