Internal pudendal flap anoplasty for severe anal stenosis. Report of a case

Anoplasty for anatomical anal stenosis: systematic review of complications and recurrences

AIM

The optimal surgical treatment for anatomical anal stenosis (AS) remains to be determined. The aim of this study was to determine the rates of complications and recurrence after anoplasty for anatomical AS and, wherever feasible, compare the outcomes for the various techniques.

METHOD

A PROSPERO-registered systematic review was reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Medline, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library of Systematic Review, Scopus and Web of Science were searched for articles published up to May 2021. Studies that assessed the outcomes of anoplasty in adult patients with anatomical AS were selected. The primary outcomes were complications and recurrence. The methodological quality of studies was appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools.

RESULTS

From the total of 2705 unique screened records, 151 were assessed for eligibility. Only 29 studies (two prospective) met the inclusion criteria, reporting data on 556 patients [mean age 53 (18-83) years, 46% female]. Previous history of surgery for haemorrhoidal disease accounted for three quarters of cases. A total of 14 types of anoplasty were found, with the Y-V flap being the most performed technique [27% of cases (n = 149)]. Complications frequently occurred, with a pooled prevalence of 10.2% (95% CI 3.9%-24.1%) after Y-V flap and 11.5% (5.3%-23.0%) after rhomboid/diamond flap. Patients undergoing house flap achieved better results in terms of clinical improvement, satisfaction and quality of life compared with Y-V flap and rhomboid/diamond flap. When considering only studies with at least 12 months of follow-up, the pooled prevalence of recurrence was 4.7% (2.2%-9.8%), with significantly higher rates observed in the prospective versus retrospective series [pooled prevalence 18.9% (11.5%-29.5%) vs. 3.6% (1.7-7.8%), respectively; p < 0.001].

CONCLUSION

Both complications and recurrence were significantly lower after house flap compared with rhomboid/diamond and Y-V flap. Better designed multicentre studies with longer follow-up are needed to confirm these findings.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42021239493.

Surgical treatment of anal stenosis

Anal stenosis is a rare but serious complication of anorectal surgery, most commonly seen after hemorrhoidectomy. Anal stenosis represents a technical challenge in terms of surgical management. A Medline search of studies relevant to the management of anal stenosis was undertaken. The etiology, pathophysiology and classification of anal stenosis were reviewed. An overview of surgical and non-surgical therapeutic options was developed. Ninety percent of anal stenosis is caused by overzealous hemorrhoidectomy. Treatment, both medical and surgical, should be modulated based on stenosis severity. Mild stenosis can be managed conservatively with stool softeners or fiber supplements. Sphincterotomy may be quite adequate for a patient with a mild degree of narrowing. For more severe stenosis, a formal anoplasty should be performed to treat the loss of anal canal tissue. Anal stenosis may be anatomic or functional. Anal stricture is most often a preventable complication. Many techniques have been used for the treatment of anal stenosis with variable healing rates. It is extremely difficult to interpret the results of the various anaplastic procedures described in the literature as prospective trials have not been performed. However, almost any approach will at least improve patient symptoms.

Anal stenosis and mucosal ectropion

Anal stenosis (AS) or stricture is defined as the loss of compliant natural elasticity of the anal opening, which then becomes abnormally tight and fibrous. It is a very disabling condition, worsened by the patient's embarrassment, but uncommon. The vast majority of cases are secondary to trauma, iatrogeny, inflammatory diseases, or neoplasia, or occur postradiation. Depending on the severity and level of involvement, AS can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Due to the rarity of this pathology and the different referral patterns among institutions, the etiology ranges widely between published reports. There are multiple surgical techniques that have been described for the correction or improvement of AS. Moderate or severe AS is the usual indication for operative treatment.