Endoanal ultrasonography in fecal incontinence: Current and future perspectives

Figure 1 Endoanal ultrasound images of patients with fecal incontinence. A: A combined defect (arrow) of the external anal sphincter (EAS) from 10 to 2 o’clock and of the internal anal sphincter (IAS) from 9 to 3 o’clock positions, in a woman due to an obstetric anal sphincter injury; B: An anterior EAS defect (arrow), in a woman due to an obstetric anal sphincter injury; C: An IAS defect (arrow) from 8 to 4 o’clock position, in a man as a complication of a previous anorectal surgery (due to fistula).

Figure 2 Three-dimensional endoanal ultrasonography images. A: Normal appearance of the external anal sphincter (EAS) and internal anal sphincter (IAS); B: An IAS defect in woman as a complication of a previous anorectal surgery (due to fistula).

Figure 3 Normal appearance of the internal and external anal sphincters in endoanal ultrasound real-time elastography. The internal anal sphincter appears in red (softer) and external anal sphincter in green/blue (harder). EAS: External anal sphincter; IAS: Internal anal sphincter.