Functional results after abdominal suture rectopexy for rectal prolapse or intussusception

Objective: To assess the functional outcome after suture rectopexy in patients with rectal prolapse or intussusception. Design: Retrospective study. Setting. University hospital, Sweden. Subjects: 33 patients with rectal prolapse and 19 patients with intussusception treated by abdominal suture rectopexy 1969-1992. Main outcome measures: Bowel function evaluated by a questionnaire a median of 97 months after operation. Results: 10/33 patients (30%) reported less constipation after rectopexy in the prolapse group compared with 3/19 (16%) in the intussusception group (p = 0.33). Rectal emptying improved in 14/33 (42%) and 1/19 (5%), respectively (p = 0.005), and incontinence in 12/33 (36%) and 3/19 (16%), respectively (p = 0.20). Seventeen patients (52%) with prolapse and 3 (16%) with intussusception described the result of operation as excellent or good (p = 0.02). Conclusion: There is a reasonable chance of improved rectal emptying and continence in patients undergoing suture rectopexy for rectal prolapse, whereas bowel symptoms commonly worsen postoperatively in patients treated for intussusception.