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Review article| Volume 82, ISSUE 6, P1115-1123, December 2002

Anorectal physiology

  • Alan G. Thorson
    Correspondence
    8712 West Dodge Road, Suite 240, Omaha, NE 68114-3419
    Affiliations
    Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Creighton University School of Medicine, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 65178, USA

    University of Nebraska College of Medicine, 986585 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6585, USA
    Search for articles by this author
      The normal function of the anorectum represents a complex interaction between neurologic, myogenic, sensory, anatomic, and hormonal components. Failure or weakness of any one part or combination of parts of this array may lead to symptoms recognized as many common and some not so common diseases and conditions seen in the clinical setting. When discussing anorectal physiology, the conversation usually refers to simple tests performed routinely in an anorectal physiology (ARP) laboratory. Such laboratories are designed to provide information about the function of the neurologic, sensory, and anatomic components of anorectal function.
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