[Perineal neuropathy due to stretching and urinary incontinence. Physiopathology, diagnosis and therapeutic implications].

Perineal nerve injury due to stretching is caused by excessive traction on the distal motor branches of the pudendal nerve that innervate the perineum and anus. These injuries can occur in a number of morbid conditions (prolapsus, anorectal dyschezia, pelvic surgery) and induce denervation of the pelvic floor that very probably modifies the resistance of the sphincters. Stretch injuries should be considered when discussing physiotherapy or surgery for urinary incontinence. Diagnosis can be established by electrophysiologic studies of the perineum, particularly by measurements of distal pudendal nerve motor latencies. The authors report a series of sixty patients with stretch-induced neuropathy.