Sex differences in anorectal angle and perineal descent

Abstract

To elucidate whether sex differences have a significant influence on anorectal angle (ARA) and perineal descent (D), female and male asymptomatic volunteers were examined, using cinedefecography. We found ARA generally bigger in male than in female patients. Mean male values resembled those measured in females with anal incompetence. We also found that the spread of normal ARA in male patients was nearly twice that in female patients, suggesting little value of this variable. D, however, is similar in the 2 groups. Our conclusion is that ARA measured in males has no clinical value. D can probably be useful in both male and female patients for preoperative evaluation of corrective surgery.

MRI of the Male Pelvic Floor

“…A large volume of literature describing landmarks used in evaluation of the female pelvis is available (6,7). Although the literature on the male pelvis, to our knowledge, is sparse, some studies have been performed with the use of MR defecography (17), and a few conventional defecography studies have been performed to evaluate differences in pelvic floor laxity (18)(19)(20)(21). However, we know that the male pelvis is inherently narrower and deeper than the female pelvis (22).…”