Chapter 25: Anus, Rectum, and Prostate

Question 1

How long is the rectum and what two muscles surround the rectum?

Answer 1

The rectum is 12 cm long and is surrounded by the internal and external sphincter muscles.

Question 2

What controls the sphincter muscles?

Answer 2

Internal sphincter is under involuntary control by ANS

External sphincter is under voluntary control and surrounds the internal sphincter.

Question 3

where is the prostate located? what is its function

Answer 3

in front of anterior wall of rectum, 2cm behind symphysis pubis, surrounds bladder neck and urethra
Purpose: to secrete milky, thin, alkaline fluid that helps sperm viability.

Question 4

Where does the uterine cervix lie?

Answer 4

in front of the anterior rectal wall

Question 5

How long is the anal canal and rectum

Answer 5

16cm

Question 6

What is the sigmoid colon and how long is it?

Answer 6

It is the S-shaped course in pelvic cavity from the iliac flexture of descending colon and ends at rectum.
40cm long

Question 7

What is BPH

Answer 7

Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy: enlargement of the prostate after age 40.

Question 8

What is the incidence of Prostate Cancer? which group is most affected with higher incidence, higher mortality, and later stage of diagnosis? What are some cultural risk factors?

Answer 8

most frequently diagnosed cancer in men. more common in north america and northwestern Europe. 70% higher in African Americans, later diagnosis, higher mortality
Risk factors: obesity, diet high in red meat, processed meat, saturated fats, and dairy.

Question 9

what is melena? What is steatorrhea?

Answer 9

Melena: blood in stool. Steatorrhea: excessive fat in stool from malabsorption of fat (celiac disease, CF, crohn’s disease, chronic pancreatitis)

Question 10

What may clay colored feces indicate?

Answer 10

biliary cirrhosis, gallstones, alcoholic or viral hepatitis.

Question 11

how often do infants stool?

Answer 11

after each feeding

Question 12

What is the gastrocolic reflux?

Answer 12

wave of peristalsis after eating.

Question 13

When is voluntary control of external sphincter achieved

Answer 13

age 1 1/2-2 yrs

Question 14

What are normal characteristics of the prostate gland

Answer 14

size: 2.5-4cm wide, heart shaped with central groove, smooth surface, elastic/rubbery consistency, slightly moveable, non-tender to palpation.

Question 15

what change occurs to the prostate during puberty?

Answer 15

It increases rapidly to more than 2x it prepubertal size.

Question 16

What subjective data do you want to obtain ?

Answer 16

Usual bowel routine: do your bowels move regularly, how often, usual color, hard or soft,
Change in bowel habits:
Rectal bleeding, color of stool, increased gas

Question 17

what might cause a change to bowel habits?

Answer 17

gastroenteritis, colitis, irritable colon syndrome, food poisoning, swimming in contaminated pool, eating raw shellfish, undercooked eggs or meat.

Question 18

What are some rectal conditions?

Answer 18

prutitis, hemorrhoids, pain, fissure, rectal prolapse, anorectal fistula

Question 19

what is encopresis?

Answer 19

passing stool into clothing of children over 4

Question 20

what family history would you ask about?

Answer 20

polyps, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, prostate cancer

Question 21

What subjective info would you gather

Answer 21

diet, date of last digital exam, stool blood test, colonoscopy, prostate specific antigen test

Question 22

what do you look for when inspecting the perianal area?

Answer 22

inflammation, lesions, scars, linear split-fissure, hemorrhoid, thrombosed hemorrhoid, fistula, rectal prolapse.

Question 23

what is 12:00 mean

Answer 23

position at symphysis pubis that you describe abnormal findings locations.