Premium
Seated anorectal manometry during simulated evacuation: A physiologic exercise or a new clinically useful diagnostic test?
Author(s) -
Basilisco Guido,
Corsetti Maura
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
neurogastroenterology and motility
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.489
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1365-2982
pISSN - 1350-1925
DOI - 10.1111/nmo.14001
Subject(s) - defecography , defecation , functional disorder , medicine , anorectal manometry , obstructed defecation , diagnostic test , physical therapy , pediatrics
Symptoms such as a feeling of incomplete evacuation, straining, absence of the call to stool, anal blockage, or digitation suggest the presence a functional defecation disorder. As symptoms do not distinguish between patients with and without functional defecation disorder, Rome IV criteria recommend that this disorder is diagnosed when two of three tests are positive: balloon expulsion test (BET), anorectal manometry (ARM), and defecography. However, previous studies have demonstrated that the agreement among these tests is limited. In this issue of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Sharma et al tested the hypothesis that conducting the ARM in a seated position would increase the diagnostic accuracy of the test in discriminating between patients with normal and prolonged BET. This minireview discusses the current knowledge on the role of the techniques to diagnose defecation disorder and the potential role of the ARM in a seated position.