1.   Resting anal pressure in older patients did not differ significantly from that in younger patients either before or after the operation.

2.   Anal pressure was measured by a station pull through technique as described previously.

3.   Adequacy of anal sphincteric function should then be confirmed by means of laboratory tests of anal pressure and sensation.

4.   The lowest anal pressure achieved during anal relaxation and the duration of relaxation.

5.   In contrast, none of the spinal patients produced an increase in anal pressure or an increase in external anal sphincter activity when asked to contract their sphincter.

6.   The rise in anal pressure during the manoeuvre was much lower in spinal patients than in controls and varied according to the level of the spinal lesion.

7.   Rectal contractions were associated with prolonged increases in external anal sphincter activity and anal pressure in all normal subjects.

8.   In normal subjects, the internal anal sphincter showed anal pressure increases upon deflating the rectal baloon that exceeded the predistending values.

9.   We did not study anal basal pressure, which is commonly believed to play a significant part in preserving faecal continence for liquids.

10.   Our balloon probe is not suitable for this, but anal basal pressure would not seem to influence the outcome of patients receiving biofeedback treatment.