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Sacral evoked potentials in normal women and in women with stress incontinence
Author(s) -
Fanciullacci F.,
Sandri S.,
Politi P.,
Garavaglia P. F.,
Catanzaro F.,
Zanollo A.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
neurourology and urodynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1520-6777
pISSN - 0733-2467
DOI - 10.1002/nau.1930060406
Subject(s) - medicine , pelvic floor , urinary incontinence , external anal sphincter , anal sphincter , stress incontinence , reflex , electromyography , urology , gynecology , surgery , physical medicine and rehabilitation , anesthesia , anal canal , rectum
Recently, using electromyographic techniques, Swash, Snooks, and Henry [1985] and Smith and Warrel [1985] described disorders of perineal floor innervation in patients with foecal incontinence and stress urinary incontinence. Another means to determine the integrity of pelvic floor innervation is the measurement of the bulbo‐cavernosus reflex latency. We performed sacral evoked potentials (SEP) in women, recording the EMG response by surface electrodes at the level of the anal sphincter. With this method, we studied 28 normal women and 31 with stress incontinence. Orienting the electrodes at the anal level always in the same faction (the active electrode on the right side), we obtained, in every case, a constant shape of SEP. This can help in doubtful cases. There was a statistical difference of SEP latencies in the two groups of women (32.9 msec and 38.92 msec, respectively). We concluded that in women with stress incontinence, there is an impairment of the pelvic floor innervation.