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All About

Anal Sphincteroplasty

Wildlife

Symptoms

Fecal incontinence may occur temporarily during an occasional bout of diarrhea, but for some people, fecal incontinence is chronic or recurring. People with this condition may be unable to stop the urge to defecate, which comes on so suddenly that they don't make it to the toilet in time. This is called urge incontinence.

 

Another type of fecal incontinence occurs in people who are not aware of the need to pass stool. This is called passive incontinence.

 

Fecal incontinence may be accompanied by other bowel problems, such as:

Diarrhea

Constipation

Gas and bloating

Causes

Anal sphincter can be damaged by a number of causes, including:

  • Childbirth
  • Constipation
  • Nerve damage, impacting your brain’s ability to get signals that your bowels are full
  • Overstraining your bowels
  • Trauma resulting from anal or rectal surgery

More about Treatment

Anal sphincter is a ring of muscle that opens and closes at the bottom of your anus and plays a large role in controlling bowel function. When the muscle is damaged or weakened it can cause incontinence accidental loss of stool.

 

Diagnosis:

Anorectal manometry – Inserts a tiny balloon filled with water into your rectum to test the pressure of anal sphincter muscles

 

Colonoscopy – Takes pictures by using a thin, flexible tube (colonoscope) with an attached camera

 

Digital rectal examination (DRE) – Manually assesses the strength of your anal sphincter muscles

 

Defacography – Uses magnetic waves or X-rays to create high-definition pictures to see how well your pelvic muscles are working during a bowel movement

 

FAQ on this Treatment

What are the complications of anal sphincteroplasty or anal sphincter repair?

Wound infections are most commonly seen complication, though rare in septic conditions. There is a chance or reversal or re-development of sphincter dysfunction in prone individuals. Susceptibility to bleeding during surgery is ruled out beforehand, along with assessment of heart condition.

What are the alternatives to anal sphincteroplasty or anal sphincter repair?

Initially, conservative management is employed to promote formation of formed stools, using anti-constipation medicines. Use of anal plugs is another method to close the anus. Amongst surgery, alternatives are augmenting surgeries which use grafts of muscle from the body in place of the sphincter. Postanal repair surgery can also be undertaken which strengthens the anal sphincteric muscle.

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