title: Functional disorders of the anus and rectum.
abstract: In this report the functional anorectal disorders, the etiology of which is currently unknown or related to the abnormal functioning of normally innervated and structurally intact muscles, are discussed. These disorders include functional fecal incontinence, functional anorectal pain, including levator ani syndrome and proctalgia fugax, and pelvic floor dyssynergia. The epidemiology of each disorder is defined and discussed, their pathophysiology is summarized and diagnostic approaches and treatment are suggested. Some suggestions for the direction of future research on these disorders are also given.
authors.affiliation: Committee on Functional Anorectal Disorders, Multinational Working Teams to Develop Diagnostic Criteria for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (Rome II), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7080, USA. william_whitehead@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Whitehead
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wald
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Diamant
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Enck
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Pemberton
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D001004:Anus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003672:Defecation; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D013577:Syndrome