The spastic pelvic floor syndrome. Large bowel outlet obstruction caused by pelvic floor dysfunction: a radiological study.
To determine whether a persistent contraction of the pelvic floor muscle during straining, as observed in constipated patients during defaecography, was due to a conscious action of the patients or really represented a functional disorder, segmental colonic transit studies were performed in 24 patients in whom the diagnosis spastic pelvic floor syndrome was made. Abnormal segmental transit indicating outlet obstruction occurred in 92% of the patients. Four different types of segmental transit abnormalities were observed which suggested that the spastic pelvic floor syndrome involved a functional outlet obstruction leading to retrograde filling of the colon and severe straining. A causative relation with other anorectal abnormalities is suggested.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003106:Colon / Q000503:physiopathology; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003248:Constipation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003672:Defecation; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D011859:Radiography