A New Approach to the Surgical Treatment of Rectal Procidentia

Abstract

Principles underlying operations used to correct rectal procidentia are reviewed. It is suggested that none of these procedures removes the factors primarily responsible for the condition nor do they prevent its recurrence. An operation is proposed and described which meets the necessary requirements—that the peristaltic wave in the colon be arrested before it reaches the rectum and that the rectum be formed into a pouch which can be emptied by anteroposterior compression. A case is reported in which the proposed procedure was successfully carried out.