Ni. Alstrup et al., RECTAL COMPLIANCE DETERMINED BY RECTAL ENDOSONOGRAPHY - A NEW APPLICATION OF ENDOSONOGRAPHY, Diseases of the colon & rectum, 38(1), 1995, pp. 32-36
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop a method for determinati
on of rectal compliance that allows direct measurement of correspondin
g changes in the rectal cross-sectional area or perimeter and rectal p
ressure. METHODS: We developed an anal probe for transrectal endosonog
raphy. The probe was tested in vitro, and rectal compliance of six hea
lthy patients was determined. RESULTS: In vitro measurements proved th
e method to be well reproducible. The method allowed calculation of an
endosonographic rectal compliance, which correlated well with rectal
compliance measured by the standard method. CONCLUSION: Endosonographi
c determination of rectal compliance is possible, and the endosonograp
hic method may give a more precise and reproducible estimation of rect
al compliance.