Pudendal Nerve Terminal Motor Latency Compared by Anorectal Manometry Diagnosing Fecal Incontinence: a Retrospective Study.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE\nTo compare the clinical value of pudendal nerve terminal motor latency (PNTML) in fecal incontinence patients with that of another diagnostic test-anorectal manometry (ARM).\n\n\nDESIGN\nThis study used a cross-sectional design. Medical records of fecal incontinence patients who underwent PNTML and ARM testing were reviewed. Above 2.4 ms of PNTML was determined to be abnormal. ARM was performed using a station pull-through technique. Mean resting anal pressure, maximal resting anal pressure, mean squeezing anal pressure, and maximal squeezing anal pressure were investigated. For normal and abnormal PNTML groups, comparative analyses were performed on ARM results.\n\n\nRESULTS\nA total of 31 patients were included. Thirteen patients showed normal PNTML. For ARM results, there was no significant difference between normal and abnormal PNTML groups. Fourteen patients had diabetes mellitus. Subgroup analysis of the 14 diabetic patients showed no significant difference between normal and abnormal PNTML groups. For 17 non-diabetic patients, there was a significant difference between the groups with positive correlations with mean/maximal resting anal pressures.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nPNTML significantly correlates with ARM in fecal incontinence only in non-diabetic patients.