A simplified method for anal ultrasonography: assessment of patient satisfaction and the simplicity of the procedure.

BACKGROUND

Anal endosonography reliably visualizes and identifies anal sphincter abnormalities. However, dedicated probes are quite expensive. We evaluated a simple and less-costly procedure for anal endosonography involving the insertion of the endoscope through a disposable anoscope filled with standard ultrasound gel in terms of patient satisfaction and the simplicity of the procedure in comparison with the standard technique in a unit that already had echoendoscopes available.

METHODS

The two techniques were used in 35 subjects without anal abnormalities and data on the simplicity of the procedures, patient discomfort, the quality of images, and the time needed to perform the procedures were compared.

RESULTS

All the variables under investigation scored significantly better with the modified technique compared to the standard one. No differences in thickness of either the internal or the external anal sphincter were found between the two methods.

CONCLUSIONS

This simple and less-costly adaptation of anal ultrasonography allows good quality examinations to be performed with better patient comfort in units with echoendoscopes already available, avoiding the need for a more expensive dedicated probe.