Functional problems in adult rectal prolapse and controversies in surgical treatment.

BACKGROUND: Rectal prolapse is a condition that has fascinated surgeons for a long time. To date, no single ideal surgical treatment has been identified. The aetiology of rectal prolapse remains highly controversial, but it is recognized that associated functional problems, such as incontinence and constipation, are common. The pathophysiology, and controversies surrounding continence and constipation, remain topics of debate.

METHOD: All relevant papers derived from Medline and manual searching on rectal prolapse and associated functional problems were reviewed.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The surgical management of rectal prolapse has evolved from historical encirclement procedures to current minimally invasive ones. Successful management must include adequate attention to the associated functional problems in order to eradicate the basic abnormality.