[Sclerosis of the anal sphincter from the point of view of mechanical ileus (author's transl)].

Anal sphincter sclerosis, which leads to recurrent subileus and finally to the complete picture of ileus, is presented in relation to 6 of our own observations. Ileus conditions are triggered off by: 1. years of abuse of laxatives, 2. intraperitoneal adhesions supporting the tendency to ileus (postoperative hernia, soft abdominal wall, intestinal atony), 3. viscerovisceral reflexes initiated by other diseases (heart, lung, gallbladder, liver, kidney etc.), 4. chronic recurrent changes with irritation of the terminal organ itself. Women seem predestined for this disease. The existing subileus or ileus condition can be eliminated in all cases by stretching the sphincter and partial sphincterotomy, so that the patients could be spared a laparotomy.