Abstract
In early surgical attempts to reconstruct a neoanal function for faecally incontinent patients, the gracilis muscle was transposed around the anal canal. A constant electrical stimulation method is used to maintain muscle contraction. However, it was necessary to regulate the contraction, because too much stimulation caused fatigue or stasis of circulation to the muscle. While, too little stimulation caused incontinence. A sensor, which must function over a long time period, is needed to regulate the muscle contraction on neoanal pressure. Then we create a strain-gage pressure sensor, which is implantable between the anal canal and the transposed gracilis muscle, that measures neoanal pressure continuously.
We confirmed the following on a rabbit model;
1) This pressure sensor can be implanted between the anal canal and the transposed gradilis muscle.
2) This pressure sensor can measure neoanal pressure generated by muscle contraction.
This implantable pressure sensor can be used for the regulation of the neoanal pressure necessary for faecal continence.
