Role of Ultrasonography for Anal Incontinence

Continence depends on several anatomic and physiologic entities. Obstetric anal sphincter injuries are the most common causes of developing anal incontinence either immediately following childbirth or later in life. Endoanal ultrasound is the gold standard modality to identify obstetric and iatrogenic traumas of the anal sphincters in patients with incontinence. Three-dimensional ultrasound with multiplanar reconstruction has further improved the accuracy of this technique in identifying the grade of injuries to the internal and external anal sphincter or the puborectalis muscle. Ultrasonographic findings help clinicians to choose the appropriate management and to select the surgical approach. Ultrasound is also used in the postoperative follow-up to assess the results of surgical treatment.