Fig. 1. Plots of tests with the 3 probes of different consistency for a representative normal subject. Each panel shows the front, bag and rear pressures and the bend angle before and during defecations. For the bend angle, 180 degrees indicate that the device is straight. The black arrows indicate the start and end of the defecatory contractions. The defecation duration was clearly shortest with the 0A probe as well as the pressures were slightly lower with the 0A probe. The * indicate a sudden increase in bend angle which could be due to pre-defecatory relaxation of the puborectalis muscle. The ** indicate that the bend angle temporarily becomes more acute, which may be due to a temporary puborectalis contraction.
© J Neurogastroenterol Motil
