Evidence map›Paper›PMID 22576903›Full record

Trial reportInternational journal of colorectal disease2012

A prospective non-randomized two-centre study of patients with passive faecal incontinence after birth trauma and patients with soiling after anal surgery, treated by elastomer implants versus rectal irrigation.

S J van der Hagen, W van der Meer, P B Soeters, C G Baeten, W G van Gemert

Open access · hybridAbstract readClinical TrialComparative StudyMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in International journal of colorectal disease, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 36% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Transanal irrigation: Bridging the gap in treatment for chronic constipation and/or faecal incontinence-A systematic review and management guidance.Colorectal disease : the official journal of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Transanal irrigation in clinical practice: a scoping review.International journal of colorectal disease · 2026
    Article
  5. Review
  6. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

S J van der HagenDepartment of Surgery, University Hospital of Maastricht, Stadskanaal, the Netherlands. s.vanderhagen@refaja.nl
W van der Meer
P B Soeters
C G Baeten
W G van Gemert
Maastricht University Medical Centre · NLRefaja Ziekenhuis · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimThis study is a prospective evaluation of patients with passive faecal incontinence and patients with soiling treated by elastomer implants and rectal irrigation. PATIENTS AND

methodsPatients with passive faecal incontinence after birth trauma resulting from a defect of the internal sphincter and patients with soiling after previous anal surgery were included. All patients underwent endo-anal ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and anal manometry. The patients with passive faecal incontinence were initially treated by anal sphincter exercises and biofeedback therapy during half a year. The patients completed incontinence scores, a quality of life questionnaire, and a 2-week diary card.

resultsThe elastomer group consisted of 30 males and 45 females with a mean age of 53 years (25-77). The rectal irrigation group consisted of 32 males and 43 females with a mean age of 50 years (25-74). At 6 months follow-up, 30 patients with soiling of the rectal irrigation group and only nine patients of the elastomer group were completely cured (p = 0.02). Only three patients with passive faecal incontinence were cured in the rectal irrigation group and none in the elastomer group. Three distal migrations of elastomer implants required removal at follow-up.

conclusionsAfter patients had performed anal sphincter exercises, no clear improvement of passive faecal incontinence was obtained by elastomer implants or rectal irrigation. However, rectal irrigation is far more effective than elastomer implants in patients with soiling.

Indexed as

Prostheses and ImplantsTherapeutic IrrigationAdultAgedAnal CanalElastomersFecal IncontinenceFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedParturitionProspective StudiesTreatment OutcomeWounds and InjuriesElastomers

Identifiers

PMID22576903
PMCPMC3430837
OpenAlexW2021182339

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.