[Sphincteric function quantification by measuring the capacity to sustain the squeeze pressure of the anal canal].

Background: It has been demonstrated that the maximum squeeze pressure and the mean resting pressure do not reflect the true clinical situation of patients having fecal incontinence, as well as the functional status of the anal canal. Furthermore, a wrong diagnosis could be obtained and therefore misleading to a not effective treatment.

Aim: Under the hypothesis that squeezing and sustaining the anal canal contraction is more important than the maximum squeeze pressure, the capacity to sustain the squeeze pressure of the anal canal was analyzed aiming to quantify the sphincteric function.