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Sonographic Investigation of the Rectoanal Inhibitory Reflex: A Qualitative Pilot Study in Healthy Females.

Örnö, Ann-Kristin LU and Marsal, Karel LU (2006) In Diseases of the Colon & Rectum 49(2). p.233-237
Abstract
PURPOSE: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex has been studied using various methods, e. g., anometry and electromyography. The aim of this study was to apply ultrasound for direct visualization of the rectoanal inhibitory reflex. METHOD: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex was induced in ten healthy females (age range, 21 - 55 years) by injection of small amounts of water (7, 12, and 20 ml), into the rectum. The intra- anal pressure was measured with a microtransducer and the rectoanal inhibitory reflex was visualized with real- time transvaginal or transperineal sonography. RESULTS: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex consisted of a reduction in the intra- anal pressure and relaxation of the internal anal sphincter, manifested as an increase in the... (More)
PURPOSE: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex has been studied using various methods, e. g., anometry and electromyography. The aim of this study was to apply ultrasound for direct visualization of the rectoanal inhibitory reflex. METHOD: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex was induced in ten healthy females (age range, 21 - 55 years) by injection of small amounts of water (7, 12, and 20 ml), into the rectum. The intra- anal pressure was measured with a microtransducer and the rectoanal inhibitory reflex was visualized with real- time transvaginal or transperineal sonography. RESULTS: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex consisted of a reduction in the intra- anal pressure and relaxation of the internal anal sphincter, manifested as an increase in the inner diameter of the internal anal sphincter from the mean of 11 to 16 mm (P < 0.001). Simultaneously, a wave of rectal contents entered the anal canal. The distance from the most distal border of the rectal contents to the anal verge decreased from a mean of 33 to 20 mm (P < 0.001). The rectoanal inhibitory reflex ended with a retrograde transport returning anal contents into the rectum. During the retrograde transport a contraction in the internal anal sphincter was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex can readily be visualized with ultrasound as a wave of rectal contents entering the anal canal. The transport into the anal canal was not of voluntary origin and could be either noticed or not noticed by the subjects. The observed retrograde transportation in the anal canal was not noted by the subjects; it is related to a contraction in the internal anal sphincter and visualized for the first time using ultrasound. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
ultrasound, internal anal sphincter, anal incontinence, rectoanal inhibitory reflex, anal continence
in
Diseases of the Colon & Rectum
volume
49
issue
2
pages
233 - 237
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000235219600012
  • scopus:32344446940
ISSN
0012-3706
DOI
10.1007/s10350-005-0259-6
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2eefa6ac-7489-4622-be5a-b877f669dd84 (old id 148995)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=16322962&dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:16:29
date last changed
2022-01-27 01:22:59
@article{2eefa6ac-7489-4622-be5a-b877f669dd84,
  abstract     = {{PURPOSE: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex has been studied using various methods, e. g., anometry and electromyography. The aim of this study was to apply ultrasound for direct visualization of the rectoanal inhibitory reflex. METHOD: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex was induced in ten healthy females (age range, 21 - 55 years) by injection of small amounts of water (7, 12, and 20 ml), into the rectum. The intra- anal pressure was measured with a microtransducer and the rectoanal inhibitory reflex was visualized with real- time transvaginal or transperineal sonography. RESULTS: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex consisted of a reduction in the intra- anal pressure and relaxation of the internal anal sphincter, manifested as an increase in the inner diameter of the internal anal sphincter from the mean of 11 to 16 mm (P &lt; 0.001). Simultaneously, a wave of rectal contents entered the anal canal. The distance from the most distal border of the rectal contents to the anal verge decreased from a mean of 33 to 20 mm (P &lt; 0.001). The rectoanal inhibitory reflex ended with a retrograde transport returning anal contents into the rectum. During the retrograde transport a contraction in the internal anal sphincter was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The rectoanal inhibitory reflex can readily be visualized with ultrasound as a wave of rectal contents entering the anal canal. The transport into the anal canal was not of voluntary origin and could be either noticed or not noticed by the subjects. The observed retrograde transportation in the anal canal was not noted by the subjects; it is related to a contraction in the internal anal sphincter and visualized for the first time using ultrasound.}},
  author       = {{Örnö, Ann-Kristin and Marsal, Karel}},
  issn         = {{0012-3706}},
  keywords     = {{ultrasound; internal anal sphincter; anal incontinence; rectoanal inhibitory reflex; anal continence}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{233--237}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Diseases of the Colon & Rectum}},
  title        = {{Sonographic Investigation of the Rectoanal Inhibitory Reflex: A Qualitative Pilot Study in Healthy Females.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2855822/625195.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10350-005-0259-6}},
  volume       = {{49}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}