Augmented unilateral gluteoplasty with fascia lata graft in fecal incontinence

Background This study was undertaken to evaluate the results of augmented unilateral gluteoplasty with fascia lata graft in patients with fecal incontinence due to congenital or neurologic disorders. Methods Between January 2000 and January 2001, we performed a prospective study of 11 patients with longstanding fecal incontinence (stage C3 according to Pescatori scoring system for fecal incontinence). The patients included one girl and 10 boys aged 5-19 years who had already undergone Swenson's operation for congenital megacolon (7 patients) or abdominoperineal pull-through for high imperforate anus (4 patients). Preoperative anorectal manometric studies (maximum resting pressure, maximum squeeze pressure, rectoanal inhibitory reflex and functional anal canal length), saline enema test and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were done. Unilateral gluteoplasty augmented with fascia lata graft was wrapped around the anal canal. Biofeedback retraining was started at the beginning of the fourth postoperative week. Patients were followed both objectively and subjectively for about 6-18 months. Results Eight of 11 patients (72.7%) were clinically improved, as shown by the change in incontinence score (p=0.01). this was confirmed by the significant changes in manometric studies, functional anal canal length, rectoanal inhibitory reflex and saline enema test. MRI done one month postoperatively showed disruption in one patient. Conclusions Unilateral gluteoplasty augmented with fascia lata graft leads to encouraging results in patients with end-stage anal incontinence due to irreversible damage to anal sphincter with less incidence of morbidity that could be related to tension on either the muscle flap or its neurovascular bundle.