NCT00219518

Mechano-physiological Approach to Anorectal Function

Mechano-physiological Approach to Normal Anorectal Function and the Classification of Defecatory Disorders

• Status: Terminated
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 17 (actual)
• Sponsor: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 80 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

We hypothesize that defecatory disorders can be described in mechanical terms which would allow a mechanistic description of disorders which would in turn allow better directed biofeedback mechanisms to treat disorders of defecation.

Detailed description

Disorders of defecation are very common and the process of defecation remains poorly described. This results in a limited approach to treatment of patients, with limited success. This study will simultaneously measure multiple components of the process of defecation - the abdominal wall and perineal muscle activity, the pressure within the rectum and in the anal canal and the change in shape of the anorectal region of the colon, in order to develop a biomechanical model which can describe the normal and abnormal defecatory process. It is anticipated that, by understanding the process in these terms will allow a new approach to categorizing and describing defecation problems which in turn will lead to more specific approaches of treatment which will be tailored to individual patients. These parameters will compared in volunteers with no defecatory disorders and patients with defecatory disorders who are being referred for defecography as part of their clinical evaluation.

Conditions

• Constipation

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	defecography	insertion of catheter to record pressure. Insertion of barium to outline rectum and fluoroscopy to define change in rectal contour and expulsion of barium during the study.

Timeline

• Start date: 2006-02-01
• Primary completion: 2011-05-01
• Completion: 2011-05-01
• First posted: 2005-09-22
• Last updated: 2018-05-25

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States