Anismus - Etymology & Synonyms

Etymology & Synonyms

Paradoxical anal contraction during attempted defecation in constipated patients was first described in a paper in 1985, when the term anismus was first used. The researchers drew analogies to a condition called vaginismus, which involves paroxysmal contraction of pubococcygeus (another muscle of the pelvic floor). These researchers felt that this condition was a spastic dysfunction of the anus, analogous to ‘vaginismus’. However, the term anismus implies a psychogenic etiology, which is not true although psychological dysfunction has been described in these patients. Hence:

Latin ani - "of the anus"
Latin spasmus - "spasm"

(Derived by extrapolation with the term vaginismus, which in turn is from the Latin vagina - "sheath" + spasmus - "spasm")

Many terms have been used synonymously to refer to this condition, some inappropriately. The term "anismus" has been criticised as it implies a psychogenic cause. As stated in the Rome II criteria, the term "dyssynergic defecation" is preferred to "pelvic floor dyssynergia" because many patients with dyssynergic defecation do not report sexual or urinary symptoms, meaning that only the defecation mechanism is affected.

Other synonyms include:

• Dyskinetic puborectalis
• Puborectalis syndrome
• Paradoxical puborectalis
• Nonrelaxing puborectalis
• Paradoxal puborectal contraction
• Spastic pelvic floor syndrome,
• Anal sphincter dyssynergia
• Paradoxical pelvic floor contraction