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Biomedical subjects

M E Neill

Publications and source records attributed to M E Neill.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Long-term results of the anterior Délorme's operation in the management of symptomatic rectocele.

PURPOSE: Although the results of surgery for symptomatic rectocele seem satisfactory initially, there is a trend toward deterioration with time. This study was designed to assess the long-term outcome of Anterior Délorme's operation for rectocele. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to all females who had Anterior Délorme's operation performed in Auckland between 1990 and 2000. The questionnaires included obstructed defecation symptoms and a validated fecal incontinence severity index questionnaire and fecal incontinence quality of life questionnaire. Preoperative and postoperative obstructed defecation symptoms and incontinence score were compared. RESULTS: A total of 150 females (mean age, 56 (range, 30-83) years) who had an Anterior Délorme's operation for a rectocele were identified. One hundred seven patients (71.5 percent; mean age, 56 years) completed the questionnaire. Median follow-up was four (range, 2-11) years. The number of patients with obstructed defecation reduced from 87 preoperatively to 23 postoperatively using Rome II criteria (P < 0.0001). Postoperatively there was a reduction in the number of patients with each of the symptoms of obstructed defecation from 83 to 27 for straining, 87 to 33 for incomplete emptying, 64 to 14 for feeling of blockage, 41 to 10 for digitation (P < 0.0001 for all). The median incontinence score reduced from 20 of 61 preoperatively to 12 of 61 postoperatively (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with symptomatic rectocele, Anterior Délorme's operation provides long-term benefit for patients with obstructed defecation and leads to a significant improvement of incontinence scores.

Adult↗

Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis in 203 patients: the Auckland experience.

BACKGROUND: Restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) has become an established operation for patients with ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). The results of a 15-year experience with IPAA are reported. METHODS: Between September 1982 and June 1997, 203 patients had IPAA surgery. From a review of the charts, data were collected on the surgical procedure, the diagnosis and early and late complications. Pouch function was assessed by means of a postal questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 201 patients (median age of 32 years; 89 women) with complete records, 122 had J pouches, 65 had W pouches and 14 S pouches were constructed. The pre-operative diagnosis in 88% was ulcerative colitis and in 10% it was FAP. During a median follow-up time of 6.1 years the diagnoses were changed for 8% of the patients; in 4% the diagnosis was changed to Crohn's disease. The overall mortality was 1.5% (early = 2, late = 1). The overall morbidity was 62% (early = 17%, late = 52%). The pouch was removed or was non-functional in 9%. All patients with a final diagnosis of Crohn's disease have had their pouch excised. The median stool frequency was 4.0 (range 1.3-8.7) during the day, and 0.7 (range 0-2.1) during the night. The fewer night-time stools (J = 1.0+/-0.6; W = 0.4+/-0.5 P < 0.0001) and the reduced requirement of the W-pouch patients for anti-diarrhoeals (P = 0.004) were offset by the need for two W-pouch patients to pass a catheter to empty their pouches. CONCLUSIONS: The type of patients who present for IPAA surgery and the outcomes observed in this series of Auckland patients are similar to those reported from major centres elsewhere.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗

Clinical efficacy of the Nd:YAG laser for combination periodontitis therapy.

Recent results of a limited clinical trial suggest that mechanical root scaling and root planing therapy alone may not be the most effective mode of treatment for patients affected by moderate to severe adult periodontitis. However, scaling and planing combined with laser therapy utilizing a low-powered pulsed Nd:YAG laser have been shown to be successful in the elimination of the bacteria commonly associated with the development of this oral condition. The double-blind, split mouth design study involved 10 human subjects randomly assigned to one of three treatments: 1) scaling and root planing alone, 2) dental laser plus scaling and root planing, and 3) control only. This article presents the clinical results of the trial, which suggest that laser therapy is a viable adjunct to local, nonsurgical therapy such as scaling and planing.

Adult↗

A neurogenic factor in faecal incontinence in the elderly.

Idiopathic faecal incontinence in middle-aged people has been found to be commonly associated with neurogenic damage to the anal sphincter musculature. Because neurogenic atrophy of skeletal muscle is a common feature of ageing, we have investigated the possibility that faecal incontinence in elderly people might be due to age-related denervation of the anal sphincter musculature. The technique of single fibre electromyography was used to measure the motor unit fibre density in the external and sphincter muscle in ten patients aged 78 to 99 years. Those patients whose continence was impaired had a markedly increased fibre density. Our findings suggest that neurogenic damage to the anal sphincter musculature may so reduce its functional reserve in elderly people that incontinence occurs when other factors, such as looseness of stool or depression of cerebral function, co-exist.

Aged↗

Chronic perianal pain: an unsolved problem.

Thirty-five patients with chronic anal pain of obscure origin are described. This syndrome is ill-defined and treatment is unsatisfactory. There is a high incidence of sciatica and of damage to the pelvic floor musculature, but although the pain has features consistent with a neuralgia, its cause is unknown.

Adult↗

Electrophysiological study of motor nerve supply of pelvic floor.

Direct stimulation of a branch of the sacral nerves which lies above the pelvic floor and electromyographic recording of activity in the muscles of the pelvic floor showed that this nerve supplied the puborectalis muscle in 19 of the 20 nerves studied in 16 patients. Similar results were obtained when this nerve was stimulated in 2 patients undergoing anterior resection of the rectum. The pudendal nerve was also directly stimulated in 3 patients and found to supply only the ipsilateral external anal sphincter muscles. These findings suggest that the motor nerve supply of the important muscle of continence usually lies above the pelvic floor and not below it as previously believed.

Electromyography↗

Physiological studies of the anal sphincter musculature in faecal incontinence and rectal prolapse.

The clinical, anorectal manometric and electrophysiological findings in 24 patients with faecal incontinence, 10 of whom also had rectal prolapse, and in 8 patients with rectal prolapse without incontinence, are reported. Single fibre electromyographic studies and anal reflex latencies were abnormal, indicating damage to the innervation of the pelvic floor musculature, in all the patients with faecal incontinence, with or without rectal prolapse. These studies were normal in 7 of the 8 patients in whom rectal prolapse occurred without incontinence. These investigations imply that denervation of the sphincter musculature can be recognized by electrophysiological tests in most patients with primary faecal incontinence and that the pathogenesis of rectal prolapse differed in the two groups of patients.

Action Potentials↗

Increased motor unit fibre density in the external anal sphincter muscle in ano-rectal incontinence: a single fibre EMG study.

The motor unit fibre density in the external anal sphincter muscle has been measured in 13 normal subjects aged 18 to 78 years, and in 14 patients with ano-rectal incontinence, aged 17 to 72 years. The mean fibre density in the normal subjects was 1.5 +/- 0.16, and in the incontinent subjects it was 2.17 +/- 0.28 (p less than 0.001). These findings provide support for the suggestion that ano-rectal incontinence commonly has a neurogenic basis.

Adolescent↗