Construction of an electrically stimulated gracilis neoanal sphincter

Efforts to create a neoanal sphincter have relied principally on the transposition of skeletal muscle, usually the gracilis, around the anal canal. Pickrell et al.¹ were the first to use thistechnique in man, and although satisfactory results were reported, other investigators have found the technique unreliable.² to improve the procedure, Cavina et al.³ stimulated the gracilis muscle intermittently for several weeks after operation to prevent atrophy.