Usefulness of anorectal and endovaginal 3D ultrasound in the evaluation of sphincter and pubovisceral muscle defects using a new scoring system in women with fecal incontinence after vaginal delivery.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate pubovisceral muscle and anal sphincter defects in women with previous vaginal delivery and fecal incontinence and to correlate the findings with the severity of symptoms using the combined anorectal and endovaginal 3D ultrasonography with a new ultrasound scoring system.

Methods: Consecutive female patients with previous vaginal delivery and fecal incontinence symptoms were screened. Fecal incontinence was assessed with the Cleveland Clinic Florida fecal incontinence scale, and the extent of defects was assessed by an ultrasound score based on results of anorectal and endovaginal 3D ultrasound.

Use of dynamic 3-dimensional transvaginal and transrectal ultrasonography to assess posterior pelvic floor dysfunction related to obstructed defecation.

Background: New ultrasound techniques may complement current diagnostic tools, and combined techniques may help to overcome the limitations of individual techniques for the diagnosis of anorectal dysfunction. A high degree of agreement has been demonstrated between echodefecography (dynamic 3-dimensional anorectal ultrasonography) and conventional defecography.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the ability of a combined approach consisting of dynamic 3-dimensional transvaginal and transrectal ultrasonography by using a 3-dimensional biplane endoprobe to assess posterior pelvic floor dysfunctions related to obstructed defecation syndrome in comparison with echodefecography.

How much of the internal sphincter may be divided during lateral sphincterotomy for chronic anal fissure in women? Morphologic and functional evaluation after sphincterotomy.

Background: Sphincterotomy is used to treat chronic anal fissure, but the length of the sphincterotomy is associated with incontinence.

Objective: We used 3-dimensional anal ultrasonography to determine the proportion of the internal anal sphincter that may be divided during lateral internal sphincterotomy in women without predisposing them to a high risk of fecal incontinence.

Design And Setting: This was a prospective, observational cohort study conducted at a tertiary-care hospital.

[Importance of the tridimensional ultrasound in the anorectal evaluation].

Background: Anorectal endosonography is actually the main image exam to evaluate some anorectal diseases.

Aim: To show the three-dimensional endosonography importance in the anal canal anatomic evaluation and the anorectal diseases diagnosis.

Methods: Seventy four anorectal ultrasound were performed, 23 normal individuals (13 women) and 51 patients (33 women) with benign and malignant diseases.