ANORECTAL PHYSIOLOGICAL TESTING IN DEFECATORY DISORDERS - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY

A prospective study of anorectal physiological testing in 26 patients with obstructed defecation and 20 patients with faecal incontinence wa s performed. There were overlaps in individual test parameters between the two groups of patients. However, patients with severely blunted r ectal sensation (maximum tolerated volume > 300 mL) and anismus were m ore likely to have obstructed defecation. Patients with very low anal canal pressures, a short (< 2.0 cm) anal canal, bilaterally prolonged (> 2.1 ms) pudendal nerve terminal motor latency and a grossly distort ed anal canal (vector symmetry index less-than-or-equal-to 0.75) were more likely to have faecal incontinence. Thus, patterns of anorectal p hysiological test results together with clinical evaluation, rather th an individual test measurements, are more valuable in defining the und erlying defecatory disorders and providing guidance on therapy.