Measurements made at different points in the rectum help locate any problem in the functioning of the rectal muscles or nerves. Abnormal reflexes in the rectum may also signal disease. For example, internal sphincters should relax when the rectum is full. Failure to relax when the rectum is dilated with a balloon may indicate Hirschsprung's disease. It may sometimes eliminate the need for a muscle biopsy.
Factors affecting results Pressure in the rectum decreases somewhat with age.
On average, the pressure is slightly higher in men than in women. The next step Treatment as indicated. Adapted from The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests by Faculty Members at The Yale University School of Medicine. Copyright 1997 by Yale University School of Medicine and G.S. Sharpe Communications, Inc. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.