Abstract

"Aim of this study: To evaluate the role of anorectal manometry (ARM) and determine normal ARM's parameters in a group of children referred for evaluation of defecation disorders. Patients and Methods: A retrospective review of pediatric ARMs performed over an 8-year period. Results: Records from 789 children (52.6% male) were reviewed. Patients were classified in four groups according to the main ARM's findings in: ""Control group"" (CL), ""Probable megarectum group"" (PMG), ""Abnormalities of intrinsic innervation group"" (AII) and ""Abnormalities of extrinsic innervation group"" (AEI). 79% of them had been referred for evaluation of chronic constipation and 10% because of suspicion of abnormalities of intrinsic innervation. In 94 and 83% of them respectively, the ARM ruled out organic causes. ARM's findings distribution was: CL (48.0%), PMG (42.6%), AII (7.5%) and AEI (1.5%). CL and PMG showed agedependent differences in manometric parameters. Differences in manometric parameters between CL, PMG, AII and AEI were found. Conclusions: Four distinctive patterns were described in 789 patients referred for evaluation of their presumed defecation disorder. The main indication of ARM was study of chronic constipation, where organic problems were confirmed only in a few of them."