Colonic transit time and anorectal manometric anomalies in 19 patients with complete transection of the spinal cord.

In order to determine the relative importance of sympathetic and parasympathetic centers in the control of colorectal motility, colonic transit and anorectal motility were studied in 19 patients with complete spinal cord transection: group 1 (n = 5) where transection was above T9; group 2 (n = 6) where transection was between T9 and L2; group 3 (n = 8) where transection involved S2-S4. Colonic transit time was calculated by the radiopaque markers. Methods and results were compared with those of eight controls, all bedridden for non-digestive surgery. Anorectal motility was investigated by anorectal manometry, and results were compared with those of 17 healthy controls. Both mean right and left colonic transit times were not different in the three groups of patients and the bedridden control group. Mean rectosigmoid and total transit time increased in groups 2 and 3. In five patients of group 3 the mean anal canal (lower part) pressure was higher than in controls. Recto-anal inhibitory reflex was present in all patients, but their was no correlation in group 3 between the volume of rectal distension and both amplitude and duration of the recto-anal inhibitory reflex, and in group 1 between rectal distension and the duration of the recto-anal inhibitory reflex. Rectosigmoid transit time increased when sympathetic and parasympathetic spinal centers are injured, suggesting the importance of this extrinsic nervous control; right and left colonic transit are not affected by spinal cord lesion suggesting that the distal colon but not the proximal colon, is under spinal cord nervous control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)