Two female patients aged 62 and 44 years with progressive systemic sclerosis and passive faecal incontinence are described. Both had the typical gut motility disorders of dysphagia, heartburn, and constipation. Anorectal physiology tests showed a low resting pressure in both and an absent rectoanal inhibitory reflex in one. In both patients anal endosonography showed a thin internal anal sphinc...

OBJECTIVE To compare outcomes following totally transanal endorectal pull-through (TTERPT) versus pull-through with any form of laparoscopic assistance (LAPT) for infants with uncomplicated Hirschsprung's disease. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. SETTING Five hospitals with a paediatric surgical service. PARTICIPANTS 405 infants with uncomplicated Hirschsprung's disease. INTE...

BACKGROUND There is controversy over the effect of mode of delivery, pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME), incontinence and sexual function. AIM To investigate the relationship of sexual function with delivery mode history, PFMEs and incontinence. METHODS This was a cross-sectional postal survey of women, six years post-partum, who had given birth in maternity units in Aberdeen, Birmingham ...

AIM Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) is a minimal invasive treatment that can be performed in the outpatient clinic. This is a pilot study to investigate PTNS in the treatment of faecal incontinence. METHOD   Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation was performed by insertion of a needle electrode near the posterior tibial nerve. Patients were treated twice a week. Evaluation of faec...

The objective was to describe perineal electrophysiological findings and to determine their diagnostic value in a type of lumbosacral plexopathy after vaginal delivery, which only involves the lower part of the plexus (S2-S4). Consecutive female patients referred to an outpatients' urodynamic clinic were the source. Nineteen previously healthy women, 13 multiparae and six para 1, were investiga...