In plain words
An endoanal ultrasound is a scan that uses a small probe placed a short way into the anus. It shows the muscles in detail. After a tear that reached the anal muscles, or after symptoms like leaking gas or stool, a specialist may order one. The scan can show whether the muscle ring has a gap or thinning. It is not a routine test after every birth. Most mothers who have it are referred by a pelvic floor physiotherapist, a colorectal team, or a gynecologist. The scan is done in a clinic, and it can feel uncomfortable but is usually brief. Leaking or pain that is not getting better is worth raising with a provider, even when it feels embarrassing to mention.
The deeper version
Endoanal ultrasound (EAUS), usually a 7 to 10 MHz rotating or biplane probe, images the internal and external anal sphincter and detects defects after (OASI). Its diagnostic accuracy for sphincter defects is considered good when compared with endoanal MRI and surgical findings. Guidance from the RCOG Green-top Guideline No. 29 (2015, updated) advises that clinicians consider EAUS or anal manometry when symptoms of anal incontinence persist after OASI. Routine screening after all births is not recommended, and the test is typically a specialist referral with the result used to plan pelvic floor rehabilitation or repair. Evidence on the predictive value of postpartum defects for long-term symptoms is mixed.
Where it comes up
- Healing a tear or stitchesPostpartum: Your Body
- Perineal massage, tearing, and episiotomyGetting Ready for Birth
- Your pelvic floor after birthPostpartum: Your Body
- Peeing after birth and leakingPostpartum: Your Body
What mothers here say about endoanal ultrasound
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Sources
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists — The management of third- and fourth-degree perineal tears, Green-top Guideline No. 29, 2015
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Practice Bulletin on pelvic floor disorders, 2019