DOES SURGERY RESOLVE OUTLET OBSTRUCTION FROM RECTOCELE

In order to ascertain whether plastic surgery for rectocele is of valu e in the treatment of outlet obstruction, a retrospective study was ma de of 21 women complaining of difficulty in expelling faeces: 13 patie nts (group A) underwent surgery with transanal longitudinal plication of the anterior rectal wall (Block's technique), and 8 patients (group B) had colpoperineoplasty which, in 2, was associated with bladder-ne ck suspension following the Raz-Peyrera technique for urinary incontin ence. The mean follow-up was 24.2 +/- 18.7 and 36.8 +/- 17.8 months re spectively. In 11 group A patients (80.9%) and 6 group B patients (75% ) cure, or an improvement, was achieved. Of the remaining 4 patients ( 19%), recurrent rectocele was found in 2 (one group A and one group B) and intestinal transit time tests detected colonic constipation in on e group A and in one group B patient. It is concluded that surgery can resolve outlet obstruction from rectocele, but Block's technique is p referable because it is more straight-forward and easier.