[Current proctology--modern functional diagnosis].

The large majority of pathological conditions in proctology can be recognized and distinguished from each other by clinical and endoscopic means of diagnosis. Manometric and neurophysiological investigations are especially useful for understanding pathophysiology; these methods are of great clinical value whenever their results contribute to a specific concept of therapy. Functional tests are able to distinguish among the various causes of sphincteric dysfunction. Defaecography might provide the decisive hint for operative treatment for manometric investigations of the ano-rectum, balloons, perfusion tubes and microtransducers are available. In cases of incontinence, especially in females, endosonography is the investigation of choice, providing most relevant information with regard to possible surgical reconstruction of the sphincter muscle.