ABSTRACT

Purpose:

Full-thickness rectal prolapse is a devastating clinical disorder which is accompanied with constipation and anal incontinence. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical and functional advantages of laparoscopic rectopexy.

Patients and methods:

We performed laparoscopic rectopexy to 25 patients who have full-thickness rectal prolapse, between October 2000-April 2005. The patients were evaluated for postoperative pain, hospital stay, constipation, anal incontinence and recurrence.

Results:

Twenty-two patients underwent laparoscopic rectopexy (LR) and 3 patients laparoscopic resection rectopexy (LRR). There is no intraoperative major complication. In one LRR case, we converted to open. Nonsteroidal antiinflamatory drugs were enough for postoperative pain. The mean hospital stay was 3 days for the LR patients and 7 days for the LRR patients. Fifty percent of the constipated patients improved postoperatively. Seventy-five percent of the incontinent patients (mucosal discharge included) improved postoperatively. One patient recurred 5 months after the operation.

Conclusions:

Laparoscopic recropexy is a safe procedure. Laparoscopic recropexy is the gold standart treatment for full-thickness rectal prolapse, since it has all the advantages of the open abdominal operations, and has the extra advantages of laparoscopic procedures.