The digestive system begins at the mouth and ends at the rectum and anus, where solid waste is expelled from the body after water and nutrients have been absorbed.
The inside of the anus is lined with glands and four to six crypts, or pockets. Several muscles ring the anal canal and work together to control bowel movements. The inner muscle, just beneath the lining of the anal canal is called the internal involuntary anal sphincter. This muscle is usually contracted to close the anal canal. When a bowel movement occurs, the muscle relaxes to allow the stool to pass.
Anorectal disorders can be caused by body structure, diet, lifestyle and bacteria present in the waste produced by the body. The most common of these are:
Although many people are reluctant or embarrassed to see their doctors about anorectal disorders, doing so is a critical step to maintaining good health. Diseases, such as colon or anal cancer, have symptoms that can be mistaken for those of less serious anorectal disorders, such as hemorrhoids or fissures. Only a physician can make an accurate diagnosis of what is causing the symptoms. Additionally, some anorectal disorders, such as abscesses, can be a first-stage disorder that eventually leads to cancer of the colon, anus or rectum.
The Anorectal Disorders Program treats these conditions in nearly painless procedures done in a doctor's office or by new, minimally invasive surgical techniques that allow for less pain and a faster recovery than more traditional approaches. One example is the procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH), a relatively new outpatient procedure that is not only less painful than traditional hemorrhoid surgery, but also appears to reduce the chances of symptoms coming back.
