Acknowledegments We would like to thank Nicola S. Fearnhead and Alexis M. P. Schizas for their previous versions of the book chapters entitled ‘Functional Problems and their Surgical Management’ and ‘Anorectal Investigation’. Introduction Pelvic floor pathology is multifactorial and often…
Introduction Faecal incontinence (FI), the involuntary loss of solid or liquid stool, is a debilitating condition with potentially devastating consequences for both physical and psychosocial well-being. Although surveys of the adult population have estimated the prevalence of FI to be…
Introduction Intestinal failure (IF) is defined as the reduction of gut function below the minimum necessary for the absorption of macronutrients and/or fluid and electrolytes, such that intravenous supplementation is required to maintain health and/or growth. , IF can be…
Acknowledgement This chapter in the sixth edition was written by Mark Thompson-Fawcett and we are grateful to him for those parts of the chapter, which we have kept in this edition. Introduction Crohn’s disease is a chronic, relapsing illness of…
Introduction Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic relapsing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involving the mucosa and lamina propria of the rectum and variable extent of the proximal colon. Characterised by remissions and exacerbations, the clinical spectrum of disease can range…
Historical perspectives Colonic diverticulosis is a common anatomical disorder characterised by acquired, sac-like mucosal protrusions (diverticula) through the muscle wall. They are false diverticula because they do not involve all colonic layers. The term ‘ diverticulum’ (‘divertikel’ in German) was…
Acknowledgement With thanks to the authors of the sixth edition, Pasquale Giordano, David J. Humes and John H. Scholefield. Introduction Anal cancer is predominantly (90%) squamous cell in origin, and 90% of anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) is caused by…
Introduction The treatment of advanced and recurrent colorectal cancer represents a significant challenge to oncologists and surgeons, requiring a multimodality treatment approach. As a result, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE; 2020) colorectal cancer guideline recommends these…
Acknowledgement This chapter in the sixth edition was written by Simon Gollins and David Sebag-Montefiore and we are grateful to them for those parts of the chapter, which we have kept in this edition. Introduction Colorectal cancer is the fourth…
Introduction Rectal cancer is defined as adenocarcinoma within 15 cm of the anal verge, and accounts for around 30% of colorectal cancers. There were 14 555 cases of rectal cancer in 2017 in the UK. Surgical excision remains the primary…