Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, severity, and associations between urinary incontinence and genital prolapse in females after surgery for fecal incontinence or rectal prolapse.
Methods: All patients who underwent surgery for fecal incontinence (Group I) or rectal prolapse (Group II) were compared with a control group of females (Group III) by 43 questions regarding demographic data, past medical and surgical history, and diagnosis and treatment of anal and urinary incontinence and genital and rectal prolapse. The type (stress, urge, and total) of urinary incontinence was determined and graded using an incontinence severity questionnaire (Individual Incontinence Impact Questionnaire).
Results: Overall response rate in the three groups of patients was 40.1 percent. The questionnaire was sent to 240 patients operated on for fecal incontinence or rectal prolapse, and 83 of them responded (34.5 percent). The patients were distributed into three groups: Group I consisted of 51 patients (mean age 56.7 +/- 14); Group II consisted of 32 patients (69.7 +/- 11); and Group III consisted of 40 patients (60.5 +/- 16). The prevalence of urinary incontinence in Group I was 27 (54 percent), in Group II was 21 (65.6 percent), and Group III was 12 patients (30 percent; P = 0.003). Genital prolapse was present in 9 (17.6 percent), 11 (34.3 percent), and 5 patients (12.5 percent), respectively (P = 0.03). The prevalence of coexistent urinary incontinence and genital prolapse in both study groups was 22.8 percent (19 patients). There were no statistically significant differences between Groups I and II relative to prevalence, type, and severity of urinary incontinence and genital prolapse, but there were significant differences between the two study groups and the control group. Of the patients in the study group, 67 percent had urinary incontinence before or at the time of surgery.
Conclusion: There is a higher prevalence and severity of urinary incontinence and pelvic genital prolapse in females operated on for either fecal incontinence or rectal prolapse than in a control group. Therefore, female patients with fecal incontinence or rectal prolapse should be evaluated and treated by a multidisciplinary group of pelvic floor clinicians, including a gynecologist or urologist with special training in female pelvic floor dysfunction and a colorectal surgeon.