Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate changes of anorectal dysfunction in patients with complete cervical and thoracic spinal cord injury.Methods30 hospitalized cases with complete spinal cord injury and 30 healthy volunteers were performed with anorectal manometry. Changes of manometric characteristics of anorectal and sphincter function were recorded when subjects were resting and bearing down.ResultsDuring defecation, the decreased amplitude of the anal pressure, the pressure gradient between rectal and anal and the index of defecation in patients with complete spinal cord injury were lower than that of in healthy volunteers (P<0.01).Conclusions The anorectal coordination during attempting to defecate and mechanism of initiative defecation were impaired. The mechanism of the reflectivity defecation was the main approach to defecate for patients with complete cervical and thoracic spinal cord injury.

Key words: spinal cord injury, neurogenic bowel dysfunction, anorectal and sphincter dysfunction, anorectal manometry, anorectal coordination