Abstract
The perineal approach to treating full-thickness external rectal prolapse was adopted in the first attempt to cure this condition due to the risk posed by the intraperitoneal approach in the preantibiotic era and before adequate anaesthesiological support became available. The first rectosigmoidectomy reported in the literature was an emergency amputation of the rectum for an irreducible rectal prolapse with gangrene, performed by Auffret in 1882 [1]. Then in 1888, Mikulicz [2] described a series of six cases of rectal amputation for incarcerated complete rectal prolapse, with no mortality or recurrence, so that the operation was long associated to his name (as reported in Gabriel’ textbook on rectal surgery, dated 1949 [3]). Following other occasional reports, Miles [4] made a detailed description of the technique in 1933, but the name of Altemeier [5] was finally linked to this operation after his paper describing his procedure on elderly and debilitated patients was published in the Archives of Surgery in 1952.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Auffret M (1882) Un cas de procidence du gros intestine d’une lenguer de 90 centimetres: operation per excision: double range de suture; mort. Progr Med 10:650
Mikulicz J (1889) Zur operative Behandlung des prolapsus recti et coli invaginali (1889) Arch Klin Chir 38:74–79
Gabriel WB, Lond MS eds (1949) The principle and practice of rectal surgery. H.K. Lewis, London, p 120
Miles WE (1933) Rectosigmoidectomy as a method for procidentia recti. Proc R Soc Med 26:1445–1452
Altemeier WA, Giuseffi J, Hoxworth P (1952) Treatment of extensive prolapse of the rectum in aged and debilitated patients. Arch Surg 65:72–80
Kimmins MH, Evetts BK, Isler J, Billingham R (2001) The Altemeier repair: outpatient treatment of rectal prolapse. Dis Colon Rectum 44:565–570
Vermeulen FD, Nivatvongs S, Fang DT et al (1983) A technique for perineal rectosigmoidectomy using autosuture devices. Surg Gynecol Obstet 156:85–86
Boccasanta P, Venturi M, Barbieri S, Roviaro G (2006) Impact of new technologies on the clinical and functional outcome of Altemeier’s procedure. A randomized controlled trial. Dis Colon Rectum 49:652–660
Marino F, Binda GA, Ganio E (2007) Long-term outcome of Altemeier’s procedure for full thickness rectal prolapse. A survey of 6 colorectal units. Tech Coloproctol 11:172–173 Abstr
Altemeier WA, Culbertson WR, Schowengerdt C, Hunt J (1971). Nineteen years’ experience with the one-stage perineal repair of rectal prolapse, Ann Surg 173:993–1006
Porter N (1971) Surgery for rectal prolapse. BMJ 3:113
Friedman R, Muggia-Sulam M, Freund HR (1983) Experience with the one stage perineal repair of rectal prolapse. Dis Colon Rectum 26:789–791
Gopal KA, Amshel AL, Shonberg IL, Eftaiha M (1984) Rectal procidentia in elderly and debilitated patients. Experience with the Altemeier procedure. Dis Colon Rectum 27:376–381
Prasad ML, Pearl RK, Abcarian H et al (1986) Perineal proctectomy, posterior rectopexy and postanal levator repair for the treatment of rectal prolapse. Dis Colon Rectum 29:547–552
Vasilevsky CA, Goldberg SM (1987) The use of the intraluminal stapling device in perineal rectosigmoidectomy for rectal prolapse. In: Ravitch MM, Stephen MM (eds) Principles and practice of surgical stapling. Year Book Medical Publishers, Chicago, pp 480–486
Ramanujam PS, Venkatesh KS (1988) Perineal excision of rectal prolapse with posterior levator ani repair in elderly high-risk patients. Dis Colon Rectum 31:704–706
Finlay IG, Atchison M (1991) Perineal excision of the rectum for prolapse in the elderly. Br J Surg 78:687–689
Williams JG, Rothenberger DA, Madoff RD, Goldberg SM (1992). Treatment of rectal prolapse in the elderly by perineal rectosigmoidectomy. Dis Colon Rectum 35:830–834
Johansen OB, Wexner SD, Daniel N et al (1993) Perineal rectosigmoidectomy in the elderly. Dis Colon Rectum 36:767–772
Deen KE, Grant E, Billingham C, Keighley MRB (1994) Abdominal resection rectopexy with pelvic floor repair versus perineal rectosigmoidectomy and pelvic floor repair for full thickness rectal prolapse. Br J Surg 81:302–303
Kim D-S, Tsang CBS, Wong WD et al (1999) Complete rectal prolapse: evolution of management and results. Dis Colon Rectum 42:460–469
Takesue Y, Yokoyama T, Murakami Y et al (1999) The effectiveness of perineal rectosigmoidectomy for the treatment of rectal prolapse in elderly and high-risk patients. Surg Today 29:290–293
Zbar AP, Takashima S, Hasegawa T, Kitabayashi K (2002) Perineal rectosigmoidectomy (Altemeier’s procedure): a review of physiology, technique and outcome (2002) Tech Coloproctol 6:109–116
Chun SW, Pikarsky AJ, You SY et al (2004) Perineal rectosigmoidectomy for rectal prolapse: role of the levatorplasty. Tech Coloproctol 8:3–9
Habr-Gama A, Jacob CE, Jorge JM et al (2006) Rectal procidentia treatment by perineal rectosigmoidectomy combined with levator ani repair. Hepatogastroenterology 53:213–217
Agachan F, Pfeiffer J, Joo JS et al (1997) Results of perineal procedures for the treatment of rectal prolapse. Am Surgeon 63:9–12
Rothenberger DA (1989) Anal incontinence. In: Cameron JL (ed) Current surgical therapy, 3rd edn. BC Decker. Philadelphia, pp 186
Steele SR, Goetz LH, Minami S et al (2006) Management of recurrent rectal prolapse: surgical approach influences outcome. Dis Colon Rectum 49:440–445
Yoshioka K, Ogunbiyi OA, Keighley MRB (1998) Pouch perineal rectosigmoidectomy gives better functional results than conventional rectosigmoidectomy in elderly patients with rectal prolapse. Br J Surg 85:1525–226
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer-Verlag Italia
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Altomare, D.F., Rinaldi, M. (2008). Perineal Approach to External Rectal Prolapse: The Altemeier Procedure. In: Altomare, D.F., Pucciani, F. (eds) Rectal Prolapse. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-0684-3_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-0684-3_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Milano
Print ISBN: 978-88-470-0683-6
Online ISBN: 978-88-470-0684-3
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)