Morphological rectal alterations following STARR performed for obstructed defecation syndrome

Background Anorectal functional disorders are common disease involving about a quarter of population. Most patients concerned are females complaining of one or more symptoms, with a negative impact on quality of life, and high social costs. Traditional surgical treatments are frequently unsatisfactory, indeed some surgeons opt for conservative therapy consisting in the pelvic floor rehabilitation. A new surgical technique, the STARR (stapled trans-anal rectal resection) seems to show encouraging results. STARR aims to improve obstructed defecation syndrome (ODS) symptoms by the correction of the associated rectal anatomical alterations, such as rectocele and/or rectal intussusception. Contraindications to STARR are represented by stenosis, perianal sepsis, malignancy, enteroceles, sigmoidocele.