Review of the results of rectocoele repair
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Review of the results of rectocoele repair
IRAS ID
241973
Contact name
Andrew Williams
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust R&D Department
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Rectocoele is a herniation of the anterior rectum into the posterior vaginal wall. As a life expectancy increases, the frequency of rectocoele will increase. Many authors quote the lifetime risk for having a pelvic floor operation for a pelvic floor disorder like rectocoele to be around 11% and the reoperation rate is 30%.\n\nRectocoeles are often unrecognized, but when people develop symptoms, they can have a major impact on women’s activities, daily living and recreation. They can present with a variety of complaints such as difficult defaecation, painful intercourse and pelvic pressure. Clinically, women will report a need to “splint” or digitally reduce the vaginal bulge to evacuate their bowels. There is not always a direct link between the amount of prolapse and symptoms.\n\nStandard treatment for rectocoele in our Trust is Transvaginal rectocoele Repair (TVRR) which is a repair through the back wall of the vagina. This procedure corrects the bulging of the front muscle wall of the rectum, thus leading to the repair of rectum capacity and function. \n\nIn recent years, attention has focused on a woman’s subjective improvement, satisfaction, and personal goal attainment as indicator of successful surgical treatment. Achievement of these personal goals is a primary reason for undergoing surgery. \nThis study will retrospectively contact patients who have had TVRR to assess their bowel, sexual function and quality of life after the surgical procedure with a minimum follow-up of 6 months. We will assess patients through 4 validated questionnaires; the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-short form 7, Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory Questionnaire-Short Form 20, Obstructed Defaecation symptom score, Female Sexual Function Index.\n
REC name
South Central - Oxford A Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SC/0147
Date of REC Opinion
22 Mar 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion