TITLE:
Stapled Trans-Anal Rectal Resection (STARR) for Obstructive Defecation Syndrome—Functional Outcome and Quality of Life after Two Years
AUTHORS:
Mike Ralf Langenbach, Alexandre Berengolts
KEYWORDS:
STARR, Obstructive Defecation Syndrome, External Rectal Prolapse, Transanal Approach, Constipation
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Clinical Medicine,
Vol.7 No.3,
March
17,
2016
ABSTRACT: Background: Stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) has been shown to improve patients’ functional and quality of life outcomes in several studies. Although it is a safe and effective treatment for obstructive defecation syndrome, still data on long-term follow-up are missing. Methods: From January 2010 to July 2014, 46 consecutive patients undergoing STARR using the CONTOUR® TRANSTAR™ device, shortly named TRANSTAR (transanal stapler assisted resection), were prospectively followed. Recurrence rate, quality of life (Patient Assessment of Constipation-Quality of Life (PAC-Qol)) and complication were documented at baseline, 12 and 24 months after operation. Two subgroups of patients were compared to assess the impact of resection length on outcome. Results: We included 46 patients (89% female) in the study. The mean age was 65 ± 16 years and the duration of the operation was 48 ± 4 min. Total PAC-QoL score improved from 2.0 (SD 0.3) to 0.9 (1.4) after 12 months, but deteriorated to 1.2 (0.3) after 24 months (p