Increases in cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate content accompany relaxation of isolated strips of opossum and canine lower oesophageal sphincter muscle. The aim of this investigation was to characterise these responses in isolated muscle from the human lower oesophageal sphincter. Electrical stimulation of enteric neurons produced a frequency dependent relaxation...

BACKGROUND Bariatric operations may alter esophageal motility; however, there is a paucity of studies of the esophageal motility with high resolution manometry. AIM To study patients after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity with high resolution motility. METHODS Were included 18 asymptomatic patients (17 women, mean age 53 years) after undergoing to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for mor...

Studies were done to evaluate the lower oesophageal sphincter function of chronic smokers compared with non-smokers and to ascertain the acute effects of smoking on the sphincter and the occurrence of acid reflux. All subjects (non-smokers, asymptomatic cigarette smokers, and smokers with oesophagitis) were studied postprandially with a lower oesophageal sphincter sleeve assembly, distal oesoph...

In the C. e/egans hermaphrodite the expulsion step of defecation depends on the coordinated contraction of three enteric muscle groups: the anal depressor muscle, the intestinal muscles, and the sphincter muscle. These muscles are activated by excitatory GABA neurotransmission. Mutations in 13 genes that affect activation of these enteric muscles have previously been identified. We show that th...

The development of fecal incontinence after childbirth is a common event. This incontinence responds to a multifactorial etiology in which the most common element is external anal sphincter injury. There are several risk factors, and it is very important to know and avoid them. Sphincter injury may result from perineal tear or sometimes by incorrectly performing an episiotomy. It is very import...

The male urethral sphincter is a striated muscle in contact with the urethra from the base of the bladder to the perineal membrane. The individual muscle fibers are 25 to 30% smaller than fibers of associated muscles and are embedded in connective tissue which obscures the visibility of the whole muscle. The muscle primordium is laid down around the urethra prior to the development of the prost...

BACKGROUND Anal sphincter defects have been shown to increase pressure asymmetry within the anal canal in patients with fecal incontinence. However, this correlation is far from perfect, and other factors may play a role. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of rectal prolapse on anal pressure asymmetry in patients with anal incontinence. METHODS 44 patients, (42 women, mean age: 6...

PURPOSE In 1988 a syndrome of isolated urinary retention in young women that is associated with electromyographic abnormality of the striated urethral sphincter was described. It was hypothesised that urinary retention resulted from a failure of sphincter relaxation. The electromyographic abnormality causes overactivity of the muscle and may induce changes of work hypertrophy. If the hypothesis...

OBJECTIVE To compare surgical outcomes between pharyngeal flap, sphincter pharyngoplasty, and combined Furlow palatoplasty and sphincter pharyngoplasty in the management of pediatric velopharyngeal insufficiency. STUDY DESIGN Case series with chart review. SETTING Tertiary care pediatric hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS After exclusion of children with velocardiofacial syndrome, 96 patients...

PURPOSE Transanal stapled anastomosis has been associated with continence disturbances and reduced postoperative anal sphincter function. The aim of the present work was to study the effect of transanal stapling on anal sphincter morphology by endoanal ultrasound. METHODS Thirty-nine consecutive patients undergoing stapled low anterior resection for rectal carcinoma were assessed. Each patien...