title: Anal sphincter function after total mesorectal excision is comparable to that of healthy subjects: results of a matched pair analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper was to compare healthy subjects and patients after total mesorectal excision concerning anal resting/squeeze pressure and surface-electromyography of the sphincter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients (9 female/31 male) after total mesorectal excision due to low or middle rectal cancer were compared to a sex-, age- and BMI-matched group of healthy volunteers by means of anorectal pull-through manometry using a microtip-transducer system and by means of endoanal surface electromyography using a bipolar plug electrode.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Resting pressure (59.2 ± 3.1 mmHg vs. 68.3 ± 4.3 mmHg; P=0.056) and squeeze pressure (127.3 ± 3.2 mmHg vs. 128.9 ± 4.6 mmHg; P=0.78) were comparable between patients after total mesorectal excision and healthy volunteers whereas surface electromyography amplitude (9.5 ± 0.4 µV vs. 13.9 ± 0.6 µV; P=0.01) was significant lower in patients after total mesorectal excision compared to healthy subjects. Correlation between squeeze and resting pressure as well as between squeeze pressure and surface electromyography were weaker in patients after total mesorectal excision compared to healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Objective measurable sphincter pressure after total mesorectal excision seems to be comparable to that of healthy subjects whereas surface-electromyography is significant higher in healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Visceral Vascular and Pediatric Surgery, University of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany - jochen.schuld@uks.eu.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schuld
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Eisele
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Von Heesen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roller
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glanemann
mesh_terms: D001003:Anal Canal / Q000503:physiopathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods; D004576:Electromyography; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*