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Physiology of the Pelvic Floor and the Anorectum

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Ano-Rectal Endosonography and Manometry in Paediatrics

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Abstract

The mechanisms of continence and defaecation involve synchronised and integrated functions from the central, spinal, peripheral (i.e. somatic and visceral) and enteric neural activities and pelvic floor musculature. This chapter presents a summary of the current understanding of what these physiological mechanisms involve, with reference to the anatomical players formerly mentioned in the previous chapter. Appreciation of normal physiology is fundamental to appreciate the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in patients with defaecation disorders such as constipation and faecal incontinence (FI) and furthermore direct management.

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  1. Department of Paediatric Surgery, Level 8, Paediatric Offices, The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health, Whitechapel, UK

    Eleni Athanasakos & Stewart Cleeve

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Athanasakos, E., Cleeve, S. (2022). Physiology of the Pelvic Floor and the Anorectum. In: Lima, M., Ruggeri, G. (eds) Ano-Rectal Endosonography and Manometry in Paediatrics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97668-2_4

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