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Defecation Final

Defecation is the final act of digestion where solid, semi-solid, or liquid waste is eliminated from the digestive tract through the anus. It is controlled by two sphincters - the internal and external anal sphincters. The internal sphincter is involuntary while the external sphincter is voluntary and under conscious control. During defecation, mass movements in the colon push colon content into the rectum, distending it and triggering the defecation reflex, which involves relaxation of the internal sphincter and contraction of abdominal muscles to increase intra-abdominal pressure and facilitate elimination of waste.

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74 views21 pages

Defecation Final

Defecation is the final act of digestion where solid, semi-solid, or liquid waste is eliminated from the digestive tract through the anus. It is controlled by two sphincters - the internal and external anal sphincters. The internal sphincter is involuntary while the external sphincter is voluntary and under conscious control. During defecation, mass movements in the colon push colon content into the rectum, distending it and triggering the defecation reflex, which involves relaxation of the internal sphincter and contraction of abdominal muscles to increase intra-abdominal pressure and facilitate elimination of waste.

Uploaded by

achalsinghbdn
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Defecation

It is the final act of digestion, by which organisms


eliminate solid, semisolid, or liquid waste material
from the digestive tract via the anus, it ordinarily
occurs only in appropriate circumstances and
times.
 Mass peristaltic movement in the descending
and sigmoid colon pushes colonic content
into the rectum
Rectum distension Defecation reflex

 Voluntary efforts are necessary in initiating


defecation .
Defecation
controlled by 2 sphincters

Internal anal sphincter External anal sphincter


Circular smooth muscle Skeletal muscle
Involuntary Voluntary
External anal sphincter

 Supplied by Pudendal nerve.


 Part of somatic nervous system.
 It is under voluntary, conscious control .
 Subconsciously, the external sphincter is

usually kept continuously constricted.


Internal anal sphincter

Parasympathetic Sympathetic
nervous system nervous system

Inhibits sphincter Contracts the sphincter


contraction
Facilitates defecation Inhibits defecation
Pathway
 Stretch receptors located in the wall of
rectum are activated.
 Afferent information via pelvic nerve is

conveyed to spinal cord.


 Efferent input reach to internal anal sphincter

via pelvic nerve and external anal sphincter


via somatic nerve.
 Relaxation of internal anal sphincter is due to

inhibitory signals that originates in myenteric


plexus in response to peristaltic wave
approaching anus.
Gastrocolic
and
dudenocolic
reflexes
Mechanism
Evacuation of bladder is preceded by
deep breathing
Pushes the diaphragm
downwards increasing
pressure

Contraction of respiratory muscles


increases intra-thoracic and intra- Contraction of abdominal wall
abdominal pressure muscles further increases
pressure

All the mechanisms elevate pressure by 200cm of


H2O, feces is forced out through external anal
sphincter
Rectal pressure


First urge to defecate : 18mm Hg
 Soiling (relaxation of internal and external

anal sphincter) : 55mm Hg


1. Intrinsic defecation reflex

 Enteric nervous system – Myentric plexus


 Weak reflex – fortified with Parasympathetic
defecation reflex

2. Parasympathetic defecation reflex

 Autonomic nervous system –


Parasympathetic fibers of pelvic nerves
PARASYMPATHETIC DEFECATION
REFLEX
 The external anal and urinary sphincters are
controlled together by inhibitory signals from
the brainstem. This is why we find hard to
defecate without also urinating.

 In newborn babies and in some people with


transected spinal cords, the defecation
reflexes cause automatic emptying of the
lower bowel at inconvenient times.

 It is because lack of conscious control over


the external anal sphincter.
Incontinence
(Lack of voluntary control)

 Depend on both the structural and functional


integrity of both the neurological pathways
and the gastrointestinal tract.

 There are many risk factors for anal


incontinence.
 Such as :-

1. Atrophy (disruption) of sphincter muscles.


2. Neuropathic (idiopathic) – in which the nerve
supply to the sphincters is damaged, usually
by chronic straining or complicated vaginal
delivery.
3. Anal surgery is also one of the commonest
cause for sphincters disruptions.
Defecography
(dynamic rectal examination)

 It is a type of medical radiological imaging in


which the mechanics of a patient’s defecation
are visualized in real time using a
fluoroscope.
 Reason – to evaluate rectal outlet obstruction

and to compare pre- and post-surgical repair


of rectal outlet obstruction.
Thank you

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