Long-term outcome of sphincteroplasty with separate suturing of the internal and the external anal sphincter

Background Sphincteroplasty is one of the treatment options for anal incontinence following obstetric injury. The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term effect of sphincteroplasty with separate suturing of the internal and the external anal sphincter on anal continence. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on women who had sphincteroplasty for treatment of anal incontinence following obstetric injury. Women operated between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2014 at Sykehuset Innlandet Hospital Trust Hamar, were invited to answer a questionnaire and participate in a clinical examination, including endoanal sonography. Results 111 (86.7%) women participated. Median postoperative follow-up was 44.5 months, and 63.8% of the participants experienced an improvement of at least three points in the St. Mark’s incontinence score. Fecal urgency and daily fecal leakage persisted in 39.4% and 6.4% of the participants, respectively. The internal anal sphincter improvement persisted in 61.8% of the participants, and there was a median reduction of their St. Mark’s score of 6.0 points between the preoperative value and the value at long-term follow-up. There was no significant change in the St. Mark’s score of patients with persistent dehiscence of the internal anal sphincter. Conclusions Sphincteroplasty, with separate suturing of the internal sphincter resulted in continence for stool maintained for at least 3 years in the majority of the patients, while there was an improvement in continence in nearly two-thirds.