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Altered defaecatory behaviour and faecal incontinence in a video‐tracked animal model of pudendal neuropathy
Author(s) -
Devane L. A.,
Lucking E.,
Evers J.,
Buffini M.,
Scott S. M.,
Knowles C. H.,
O'Connell P. R.,
Jones J. F. X.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
colorectal disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.029
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1463-1318
pISSN - 1462-8910
DOI - 10.1111/codi.13664
Subject(s) - medicine , animal model , defecation , fecal incontinence , colostomy , surgery , urology , anesthesia
Aim The aim was to develop a behavioural animal model of faecal continence and assess the effect of retro‐uterine balloon inflation ( RBI ) injury. RBI in the rat causes pudendal neuropathy, a risk factor for obstetric related faecal incontinence in humans. Method Video‐tracking of healthy rats ( n = 12) in a cage containing a latrine box was used to monitor their defaecatory behaviour index ( DBI ) over 2 weeks. The DBI (range 0–1) was devised by dividing the defaecation rate (pellets per hour) outside the latrine by that of the whole cage. A score of 0 indicates all pellets were deposited in the latrine. Subsequently, the effects of RBI ( n = 19), sham surgery ( n = 4) and colostomy ( n = 2) were determined by monitoring the DBI for 2 weeks preoperatively and 3 weeks postoperatively. Results The DBI for healthy rats was 0.1 ± 0.03 with no significant change over 2 weeks ( P = 0.71). In the RBI group, 13 of 19 rats (68%) showed no significant change in DBI postoperatively (0.08 ± −0.05 vs 0.11 ± −0.07) while in six rats the DBI increased from 0.16 ± −0.09 to 0.46 ± 0.23. The negative control, sham surgery, did not significantly affect the DBI (0.09 ± 0.06 vs 0.08 ± 0.04, P = 0.14). The positive control, colostomy, increased the DBI from 0.26 ± 0.03 to 0.86 ± 0.08. Conclusions This is the first study showing a quantifiable change in defaecatory behaviour following injury in an animal model. This model of pudendal neuropathy affects continence in 32% of rats and provides a basis for research on interventions for incontinence.