Overlapping compared with end-to-end repair of complete third-degree or fourth-degree obstetric tears: three-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To report on a 3-year follow-up of women who underwent overlapping repair of a complete third-degree or fourth-degree obstetric tear.

Methods: Primiparous women sustaining a complete third-degree or a fourth-degree tear of the perineum were randomized to a primary sphincter repair using either an end-to-end or an overlapping surgical technique. At 1, 2, and 3 years, questionnaires on rates of flatal and fecal incontinence were mailed to participants.

Results: At 1 year, women who underwent an end-to-end repair reported lower rates of flatal and fecal incontinence than women who had an overlapping repair. For flatal incontinence the rates were 31% compared with 56% (95% confidence interval for the rate difference 6-43%, P=.012). For fecal incontinence, the rates were 7% compared with 16% (95% confidence interval for the rate difference -4% to 21%, P=.17). The difference between the two methods of surgical repair had largely disappeared by the end of year 2.

Conclusion: At 1-year follow-up, end-to-end repair of complete third-degree or fourth-degree obstetric anal sphincter tears is associated with significantly lower rates of anal incontinence when compared with overlapping repair. There is no long-term benefit associated with either technique over the other.

Clinical Trial Registration: ISRCTN Register, http://isrctn.org, ISRCTNO 4149919.

Level Of Evidence: I.