Management of FI After Surgery of ARM

April 10, 2023 updated by: Shucheng Zhang, Shengjing Hospital

Strategies for Predicting the Efficacy of Sacral Nerve Stimulation With Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation in the Management of Fecal Incontinence After Surgery of Anorectal Malformation.

The posterior sagittal approach to anorectal malformation (ARM) has radically changed the outcome of these patients, improving the preservation of anal sphincters, owing to their anatomical identification. However, in long term follow-up, fecal incontinence and severe constipation remain the most frequent and disabling postoperative clinical problems, having a significant influence on quality of life. Current therapeutic measures for Fecal Incontinence include biofeedback, sacral nerve stimulation, radiofrequency energy delivery, surgical treatment and sphincter replacement. Biofeedback combined with SNS has achieved satisfactory results. However, not all patients have an improvement in their weakened anal sphincter and achieve acceptable continence.

A detailed assessment of anorectal sphincter morphology and function can predict therapeutic outcome. Magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) can help to judge the anal atresia type, to display the presence and running of the fistula, and to show the nature of anal sphincter, such as the shape, thickness, directions and position of the anal sphincter complex and location in the pelvic floor and other systems malformations, finally to provide a reliable diagnostic basis for surgical program and prognostic assessment. High-resolution anorectal manometry (HR-ARM) is the latest internationally recognized examination for the evaluation of anorectal function. A standardised protocol of HR-ARM can characterise FI from dyssynergic or other neuromuscular and sensory problems. As a result, HR-ARM provides a more appropriate management in patients with FI. In order to assess whether patients with fecal incontinence should choose biofeedback therapy, our study included children with FI after anorectal malformation, and combined HR-ARM and MR to predict the efficacy of sacral nerve stimulation and pelvic floor rehabilitation.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

The posterior sagittal approach to anorectal malformation (ARM) has radically changed the outcome of these patients, improving the preservation of anal sphincters, owing to their anatomical identification. However, in long term follow-up, fecal incontinence and severe constipation remain the most frequent and disabling postoperative clinical problems, with an important impact on quality of life. A cluster of physical and psychological problems appear in pediatric patients, including repeated infections, skin ulcer and scar, social anxiety disorder, behavioral problems, self-abasement or isolation and other problems, which cause children full of guilt and embarrassment and increase the risk of bullying.

Current therapeutic measures for FI include biofeedback, sacral nerve stimulation, radiofrequency energy delivery , surgical treatment, and sphincter replacement. Zhengwei Yuan et al. conducted a follow-up study on 31 patients with FI after ARM, and confirmed that biofeedback combined with SNS has a good effect on patients with FI after ARM. However,not all patients improve their impaired anal sphincter and acquire satisfactory continence. A lot of time and treatment costs are wasted. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the indications for the application of biofeedback combined with SNS.

Severity of ARM affects the degree of development of internal and external anal sphincters. A detailed assessment of anorectal sphincter morphology and function can predict therapeutic outcome. In clinical practice, endoanal ultrasound and endoanal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the main imaging modalities for the anatomical assessment of the anal sphincter complex. Sphincter MR is more suitable for observing the nature of the anal sphincter such as the shape, thickness, directions, and position of the anal sphincter complex and its location on the pelvic floor. MR examination has a high clinical value in the diagnosis of ARM. It can help determine the anal atresia type, display the presence and running of the fistula, evaluate the perianal muscle development and other systems' malformations, and finally provide a reliable diagnostic basis for surgical program and prognostic assessment. The role of MR is similar to that of EUS in some aspects. However, the sphincter MRI can clearly demonstrate the sphincter pattern, the position of the sphincter on the pelvic floor, and several indicators that cannot be detected by EUS. High-resolution anorectal manometry (HR-ARM) is the latest internationally recognized examination for the evaluation of anorectal function. A standardised protocol of HR-ARM can characterise FI from dyssynergic or other neuromuscular and sensory problems.Therefore, HR-ARM provides a more appropriate management in patients with FI. The anorectal manometry is a functional study that can evaluate the potential for muscular sphincterial recovery after BFB; the assessment derives greater benefit also from a morphological evaluation (MRI) in particular when the manometry is unfavorable.

The study included children with FI after ARM, and the investigators combined HR-ARM and MR to predict the efficacy of sacral nerve stimulation and pelvic floor rehabilitation to determine whether patients with fecal incontinence should choose biofeedback therapy.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

108

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Liaoning
      • Shenyang, Liaoning, China, 110004
        • Shengjing Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

4 years to 18 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Fecal Incontinence after surgery of Anorectal Malformation

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1.4-18 years old; 2.The voluntary or involuntary defecation in an inappropriate place during children's developmental age of 4 years or above; 3.Anorectal malformation, anal reconstruction surgery was performed immediately after birth, and at least two courses of biofeedback combined with SNS were experienced 4.Clinical data are complete and sphincter MR and anorectal manometry have been done.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Congenital and/or acquired intestinal diseases, such as congenital or severe secondary megacolon, intestinal stenosis, polyps, Crohn's disease, tuberculosis, inflammation, and tumours;
  2. Neurological diseases, such as brain and spinal cord diseases, genetic metabolic diseases;
  3. Psychosocial and behavioural diseases, and other systemic diseases;
  4. Refused to MR and biofeedback combined with SNS.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Average anal resting pressure
Time Frame: Baseline (Before treatment)
Average maximum pressure (mm Hg) over the functional anal canal length during the 30-s period of rest
Baseline (Before treatment)
Maximum anal squeeze pressure
Time Frame: Baseline (Before treatment)
Maximum pressure (mm Hg) sustained over the duration of the 5-s squeeze maneuver
Baseline (Before treatment)
Functional anal canal length (FACL)
Time Frame: Baseline (Before treatment)
Length of anal canal (cm) in which pressure exceeded rectal pressure by >5 mm Hg
Baseline (Before treatment)
Thickness of the external anal sphincter
Time Frame: Baseline (Before treatment)
Three measurements were made laterally for the external anal sphincter where the muscle appeared thickest during sphincter MRI , and an average value was determined.
Baseline (Before treatment)
Thickness of the internal anal sphincter
Time Frame: Baseline (Before treatment)
The thickness of the internal anal sphincter was measured three times at a centimeter above the external sphincter during sphincter MRI.
Baseline (Before treatment)
Whether the rectum passes through the center of puborectalis
Time Frame: Baseline (Before treatment)
Whether the rectum crosses the center of the puborectalis muscle on sphincter MRI.
Baseline (Before treatment)
Pena's questionnaires score after treatment
Time Frame: at the end of 4-weeks Biofeedback combined with SNS treatment
select the pena questionnaire to assess bowel function in patients with fecal incontinence after anorectal malformation after treatment.
at the end of 4-weeks Biofeedback combined with SNS treatment
Pena's questionnaires score before treatment
Time Frame: Baseline (Before treatment)
select the pena questionnaire to assess bowel function in patients with fecal incontinence after anorectal malformation before treatment.
Baseline (Before treatment)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Shengjing Hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

September 1, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 28, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 13, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

November 18, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 12, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 10, 2023

Last Verified

April 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • A333-3

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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