| supra-anal | Above the anus. Synonym: superanal. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| deep part of external anal sphincter | deep part of external anal sphincter |
| internal anal sphincter | <anatomy> A smooth muscle ring, formed by an increase of the circular fibres of the rectum, situated at the upper end of the anal canal, internal to the outer voluntary external anal sphincter. This sphincter is maximally-contracted when the rectal ampulla is at rest -empty or relaxed to accommodate a distending faecal mass. It is inhibited with filling of the ampulla, increased distension and peristalsis. Synonym: musculus sphincter ani internus, internal sphincter muscle of anus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| external anal sphincter | A fusiform ring of striated muscular fibres surrounding the anus, attached posteriorly to the coccyx and anteriorly to the central tendon of the perineum; it is subdivided, often indistinctly, into a subcutaneous part, a superficial part and a deep part for descriptive purposes. Synonym: musculus sphincter ani externus, external sphincter muscle of anus. (05 Mar 2000) |