Use of 3D Anorectal Ultrasonography in the Preoperative Assessment of Complex Anal Fistulas and Patterns of Healing, Failure, and Recurrence After Ligation of the Intersphincteric Fistula Tract (LIFT).

Objectives: To use three-dimensional anorectal ultrasonography (3D-US) to evaluate the outcome of ligation of the intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT) in patients with crypto-glandular transsphincteric fistula and describing the patterns of healing, failure, and recurrence rate.

Methods: After classifying the fistula and determining the length of the sphincter muscle to be transected, the patients were submitted to LIFT. The accuracy of pre- and postoperative 3D-US with 360° endoprobe (16 MHz) with automatic scanning and clinical findings was evaluated against surgical findings.

Impact of Internal Anal Sphincter Division on Continence Disturbance in Female Patients.

Background: Few studies measured the pre- and postoperative anatomic and functional anal canal using 3-dimensional endoanal ultrasound and anal manometry and correlated sphincter division with fecal incontinence, severity, and function.

Objective: To assess the incidence of fecal incontinence in patients who underwent internal anal sphincter division for anal fissure or intersphincteric anal fistula and correlate severity of symptoms with percentage of divided muscle, anatomical measurements, and anal pressures.

Design: Prospective cohort study.