The Role of Anorectal Physiology Tests in Ulcerative Colitis; Challenging 3 Cases

Benign functional anorectal disorders such as faecal incontinence or constipation can be concomitant issues in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) whether the main disease is under control or not and they lead to negative impact on patients’ quality of life. However, reports regarding these anorectal disorders and anorectal physiologic features in patients with IBD are rare and routine diagnostic tests and therapeutic options for these pelvic floor disorders reported by IBD patients are often underused. Anorectal physiology tests are important in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, to better diagnose any symptomatic and concomitant anorectal functional disorders in order to avoid unnecessary medical or surgical therapies and to tailor the most suitable treatment modalities for the patients. Three challenging patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) under deep remission but having different defecatory and functional bowel problems are summarized here, under the guidance of specific anorectal physiology tests.