caa a22 4500 475811267 CHVBK 20180406123759.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170329e20001101xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/PL00004028 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/PL00004028 Shafik A. Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, EG aut The Role of the Levator Ani Muscle in Evacuation, Sexual Performance and Pelvic Floor Disorders [Elektronische Daten] [A. Shafik] This paper reviews the role of the levator ani muscle (LAM) in evacuation, sexual performance and pelvic floor disorders. The LAM fixes the vesical neck, anorectal junction and vaginal fornices to the side wall of the pelvis by means of the suspensory sling and hiatal ligament. On contraction it shares in the mechanism of evacuation (urination, defecation). During the sexual act vaginal distension by the erect penis evokes the vaginolevator and vaginopuborectalis reflexes, with a resulting LAM contraction. The LAM also contracts upon stimulation of the clitoris or cervix uteri, an action mediated through clitoromotor and cervicomotor reflexes. LAM contraction leads to upper vagina ballooning, which acts as receptacle for semen collection, to uterine elevation and straightening and to elongation and narrowing of the vagina. These actions enhance the sexual response and prepare the uterus and vagina for the reproductive process. During ejaculation LAM contraction facilitates semen ejection. Levator subluxation and sagging leads to levator dysfunction syndrome, which may present as pudendal canal syndrome. Springer-Verlag London Limited, 2000 Key words:Ejaculation - Micturition - Proctalgia - Pudendal canal syndrome - Uterine cervix - Vulvodynia nationallicence International Urogynecology Journal Springer-Verlag 11/6(2000-11-01), 361-376 0937-3462 11:6<361 2000 11 192 https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00004028 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/PL00004028 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 100 1- Shafik A. Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, EG aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- International Urogynecology Journal Springer-Verlag 11/6(2000-11-01), 361-376 0937-3462 11:6<361 2000 11 192 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer