J Korean Med Sci.  2011 Jan;26(1):71-77. 10.3346/jkms.2011.26.1.71.

Effect of Electronic Toilet System (Bidet) on Anorectal Pressure in Normal Healthy Volunteers: Influence of Different Types of Water Stream and Temperature

• Ryoo S
• Song YS
• Seo MS
• Oh HK
• Choe EK
• Park KJ

• KMID: 1777979
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2011.26.1.71

Abstract

Although bidets are widely used in Korea, its effects on anorectal pressures have not been studied in detail in terms of the water settings used. Twenty healthy volunteers were placed on a toilet equipped with a bidet, and anorectal pressures were measured with a manometry catheter inserted into the rectum and anal canal before and after using the bidet at different water forces (40, 80, 160, 200 mN), temperatures (24degrees C vs 38degrees C), and water jet widths (narrow vs wide). The pressure at anal high pressure zone decreased from 96.1 +/- 22.5 to 81.9 +/- 23.3 mmHg at water jet pressure of 40 mN and 38degrees C wide water jet (P < 0.001), from 94.3 +/- 22.4 to 80.0 +/- 24.1 mmHg at water jet pressure of 80 mN and 38degrees C narrow water jet (P < 0.001), and from 92.3 +/- 22.4 to 79.6 +/- 24.7 mmHg at a water jet pressure of 80 mN and 38degrees C wide water jet (P < 0.001). At other settings, no significant changes were observed. Our results indicate that, in addition to cleansing effect, bidet could be used to reduce anal resting pressure in the same manner as the traditional warm sitz bath under the conditions of low or medium water jet pressure, a warm water temperature, and a wide type water jet.

Keyword

Anorectal Resting Pressure; Water Jet; Bidet

MeSH Terms

Adult
Anal Canal/physiology
Female
Humans
Male
Manometry
Pressure
Rectum/*physiology
Temperature
*Toilet Facilities
Water

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Changes in anorectal resting pressure before (a) and after (b) using a bidet for 1 min (40 mN, 24℃, narrow jet). Pressure in the high-pressure zone peaks several seconds after applying the water jet (c) and then decreases (d). The black vertical line represents treatment start and the dotted line treatment end.

• 

  Fig. 2 Changes in anorectal resting pressures when 40 mN, 38℃, and a wide water jet (A) (in a 22-yr old female), and 80 mN, 38℃, and a narrow (B) (in a 24-yr old male) or a wide water jet (C) (in a 24-yr old female) were applied. Significant changes in anal high-pressure zone resting pressure before (a) and after (b) bidet treatment were identified. The black vertical lines indicate treatment start and the dotted lines treatment finish.

• 

  Fig. 3 Changes in anorectal pressures before (a) and after (b) bidet treatment using 160 mN (A) (in a 25-yr old male) and 200 mN (B) (in a 31-yr old male) water jets. The black vertical lines indicate treatment start and the dotted lines treatment finish.

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