[What is the role of the pubococcygeal and puborectal muscles in patients with obstructive defecation disorders? An electromyography study].
BACKGROUND
We believe that the M. levator ani plays little or no role in obstructed defaecation, and that the concept of "paradoxical" puborectalis muscle activity is misleading. The main aim of the study was to investigate the function of the pubococcygeal muscle during simulated defaecation and to compare this with the electromyographic activity of the puborectal muscle.


RESULTS
In a prospective electromyographic study of 18 women (average age 53 years) with obstructive defecation disorder the activity of the pubococcygeal muscle and the puborectal muscle was investigated at rest, during contraction and straining. The control group consisted of 18 healthy women with an average age of 54 years. The function of the pubococcygeal muscle and the puborectal muscle was largely the same in both, study and control group. No statistically significant differences in the amplitude were found between the two groups at rest during contraction and maximum strain.


CONCLUSIONS
We therefore conclude that the increase in activity of the voluntary muscle of the pelvic floor observed on electromyography during defaecation does not indicate automatically a pathologic condition but is a possible functional state at this moment.
Athanasiadis
S
S
Abteilung für Coloproktologie, St. Joseph-Hospitals Laar, Duisburg.
Weyand
G
G
Kuprian
A
A
Köhler
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003248:Constipation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
Welche Rolle spielen der M. pubococcygeus und M. puborectalis bei Patienten mit obstruktiven Defäkationsstörungen? Eine elektromyographische Studie.