Skip to main content

The rectum goes from the border with the sigmoid colon to the pectinate line (limit between the rectal mucosa and the skin of the anus). It is approximately 12 to 15 centimeters long and has a mucous coating that contains glands that are very similar to the ones found along the intestinal tract. The function of these glands is to facilitate the advancement of feces towards the anal orifice. In this region, solid residue only arrives immediately before defecation, so it is almost always empty, except during the evacuation of feces.

The anus is the final part of the digestive tract and it measures nearly four centimeters long. It is covered by mucosa and skin and it is connected to the rectum along the top and to the skin surrounding the anal orifice at the bottom.

It has three muscles:
– External sphincter. It is made up of striated muscle fibers and is activated voluntarily because it allows us to hold back the need to defecate.
Internal sphincter. A flat muscle that responds to a series of involuntary stimuli that are produced when it comes time to evacuate feces.
Levator muscle of the anus. It holds back and breaks up feces. It also keeps feces from falling out due to the effects of gravity.


Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /www/wwwroot/www.icarito.cl/wp-content/themes/icarito-v1/template-parts/content-relacionadas.php on line 13