Increased tone of the rectal wall in response to feeding persists in patients with cauda equina syndrome

The aim was to study fasting and postprandial rectal tone in patients with cauda equina injury. Electromechanical barostat measurement of rectal tone was made in 13 healthy volunteers and in five patients during a 10 min reco rding, while fasting and for 1 h after a 1000 kCal intake. A prompt decreas e of rectal volume was observed in all control subjects and patients. The d elay between the end of the meal and the onset of the rectal response was a lways less than 3 min in the five patients as well as in the control group. The rapidity of the rectal response to feeding observed in our five patien ts suggests that the rectal response was mediated via a neural or neurohumo ral pathway despite severe injury of the sacral parasympathetic supply.