Anal manometric studies in hemorrhoids and anal fissures

Manometry study with the use of continuous water perfusion system was performed for 50 patients with Grade III or IV hemorrhoids and for 29 patients with chronic anal fissure. Another 36 patients who did not have any anorectal symptom or pathology were chosen as the control group. The maximal basal pressures for the control, the hemorrhoid, and the chronic anal fissure groups were 71.2 +/- 24.9, 85.3 +/- 27.7 and 87.4 +/- 38.8 mmHg respectively; the maximal contraction pressures for the control, the hemorrhoid and the fissure groups were 132.9 +/- 44.9, 158.8 +/- 58.0 and 162.1 +/- 64.5 mmHg; while the lengths of the functional sphincter of the three groups were 3.7 +/- 0.5, 3.8 +/- 0.8 and 3.9 +/- 0.6 cm respectively. The maximal basal pressures and the maximal contraction pressures of the hemorrhoid and fissure patients were significantly greater than those of the control group; whereas the functional sphincter lengths of the three groups did not show significant difference.