PURPOSE: This study was designed to analyze the frequency of different
findings at defecography in patients with defecation disorders and se
e in what way the evaluation could be improved. METHODS: The reports o
f investigations in 2,816 patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-thre
e per cent of the investigations were considered normal. Thirty-one pe
rcent of the patients had rectal intussusception, 13 percent had recta
l prolapse, 27 percent had rectocele, and 19 percent had enterocele. T
wenty-one percent of the patients had a combination of two or three of
these diagnoses. The combination of rectocele and enterocele was rare
. The majority of patients with enterocele had other concomitant findi
ngs. Patients with or without abnormal perineal descent had similar fr
equencies of rectal prolapse, rectal intussusception, and enterocele.
Rectocele was more common in patients with abnormal perineal descent.
CONCLUSIONS: Defecography is valuable when investigating patients with
defecation disorders. Pathologic findings were found in 77 percent of
the patients. A standardized protocol should ensure a complete evalua
tion of defecography.