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Sonographic Characteristics of Rectal Sensations in Healthy Females

  • Published:
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum

Purpose

This study was designed to characterize rectal sensations by visualizing the internal and external anal sphincter and intra-anal transport of bolus during elicited rectal sensations.

Methods

The anal canal was visualized with real-time transperineal ultrasonography in 13 healthy female volunteers. Rectal sensations were elicited by injecting water into the rectum. The ultrasound images were recorded on a videotape and analyzed offline.

Results

The median time between an injection of water and the events studied was calculated in 105 rectal sensations. A relaxation in the internal anal sphincter (4 seconds after the injection of water), an antegrade transport of bolus (4 seconds) into the anal canal, and a contraction in the external anal sphincter (5 seconds) were observed before a sensation (6 seconds) was reported. The antegrade flow continued until the distal internal anal sphincter contracted (18 seconds) and the bolus moved in a retrograde transport direction (17 seconds) thereafter the sensation disappeared (18 seconds) and the external anal sphincter relaxed (22 seconds). A significant correlation in time between the end of the sensation, contraction in the internal anal sphincter, reversed flow of anal contents, and relaxation of the external anal sphincter was found (Pearson, P<0.01).

Conclusions

The results verified that the internal anal sphincter contributes to the perception of rectal sensations by a relaxation allowing intra-anal bolus to increase the pressure on the anoderm during rectal contraction. A new observation is presented on the time relation between contraction in the distal internal anal sphincter, reversed flow in the anal canal, and the end of rectal sensations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

    Ann Kristin Örnö M.D., Andreas Herbst M.D., Ph.D. & Karel Maršál M.D., Ph.D.

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital, S-221 49, Lund, Sweden

    Ann Kristin Örnö M.D.

Authors
  1. Ann Kristin Örnö M.D.
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  2. Andreas Herbst M.D., Ph.D.
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  3. Karel Maršál M.D., Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ann Kristin Örnö M.D..

Additional information

Supported by Hitachi Ultrasound, Supfstrasse 24, 6300 Zug Switzerland provided the sonography system.

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Örnö, A.K., Herbst, A. & Maršál, K. Sonographic Characteristics of Rectal Sensations in Healthy Females. Dis Colon Rectum 50, 64–68 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10350-006-0728-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10350-006-0728-6

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