A fine open perfused system and a closed balloon system for the measurement of anal pressure and motility have been compared. Measurements were made in 40 normal subjects and 84 patients with haemorrhoids. The rate of perfusion had a marked effect on the recorded pressure and motility details. The motility pattern was seen most clearly with the balloon probe and the pressure recorded was reprod...

Removal of the anal sacs is a frequently performed surgery in dogs. It is most often indicated for definitive treatment of chronic anal sacculitis. The anal sacs are intimately associated with the external anal sphincter; therefore, fecal incontinence resulting from damage to this muscle or its innervation is a potential complication of anal sacculectomy. Fistula formation and incisional infect...

A second family with hereditary proctalgia fugax and internal anal sphincter hypertrophy associated with constipation is described. Anorectal ultrasonography, manometry, and sensory tests were conducted in two symptomatic and one asymptomatic subjects within the same family and further clinical information was obtained from other family members. The inheritance would correspond to an autosomal ...

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to construct an anatomically correct phantom for visualization of anal sphincter complex structures. METHODS To ake an endoanal ultrasound phantom, we experimented with a variety of commercially available materials to simulate hyperechoic, hypoechoic, and isoechoic tissue consistency. We created external anal sphincter muscle and the levator plate using st...

The aim of study is to investigate the development of the anal canal in human embryos and foetuses. In embryos at stage 19 the boundary between the ectodermal and endodermal linings of the anal canal is located just below the level of the internal anal sphincter muscle. Histological sections showed that the first signs of anal columns are observed in embryos at stage 21 (51 days).

When coughing, an involuntary contraction of the external anal sphincter occurs, in order to prevent unwanted leakages or sagging of the pelvis muscular wall. Literature originally described such cough-anal response as a reflex elicited by cough, therefore identifying a precise cause-effect relationship. However, recent studies report that the anal contraction actually precedes the rise in abdo...

Anal fistulas occurring in Crohn's disease (CD) comprise a risk factor of severe course of inflammation. They are frequently intractable due to various factors such as penetration of the anal canal or rectal wall, impaired wound healing, and immunosuppression, among others. Anal fistulas typical to CD develop from fissures or ulcers of the anal canal or rectum. Accurate identification of the ty...

BACKGROUND Chronic anal fissure is a common and painful condition associated with internal anal sphincter hypertonia. Reduction of this hypertonia improves the local blood supply, encouraging fissure healing. Surgical sphincterotomy is very successful at healing these fissures but requires an operation with associated morbidity. Temporary reduction in sphincter tone can be achieved on an outpat...