Rectal Prolapse: A Possibly Underrecognized Complication of Anorexia Nervosa Amenable to Surgical Correction

Abstract

The finding could have significant health care implications if confirmed. It would suggest that patients with either the psychiatric or surgical problem may not be receiving the appropriate complementary referrals: psychiatrist to surgeon and vice versa. The importance of recognition of this association in anorectic patients is the availability of effective surgical therapy.

Laparoscopic ventral rectopexy using biologic mesh for the treatment of obstructed defaecation syndrome and/or faecal incontinence in patients with internal rectal prolapse: a critical appraisal of the first 100 cases

“…Our population was relatively young (mean age: 63 years), due to a large referral of patients with anorexia nervosa, which is possibly an under-recognized cause of rectal prolapse [27,28]. The complication rate in this younger age group was not lower than that in older age groups from other studies.…”

Laparoscopic Ventral Rectopexy for Internal Rectal Prolapse Using Biological Mesh: Postoperative and Short-Term Functional Results

“…This was due to a large referral of patients with anorexia nervosa, which is a possible under-recognized concomitant cause of rectal prolapse. 31 According to the literature, polypropylene or polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex, WL Gore, Flagstaff, AZ, USA) meshes have been used routinely, while substantial data on biological implants are not available. The use of foreign material to fix or suspend the rectum aims to induce more fibrous tissue formation that is an ordinary suture rectopexy.…”

Persistent rectal prolapse in children: sclerotherapy and surgical management

“…Rectal prolapse has been reported to occur in children with behavioural problems and mental retardation [26,27]. Prolapse is usually due to straining at defaecation against a closed sphincter mechanism.…”