This book is a unique work devoted to the subject of disordered defaecation. It contains chapters written by experts in the field of ano-rectal physiology and management of disordered defaecation. The various contributions present personal views and special clinical experience of individuals. There are some personal views which we felt should be commented upon and a few areas where the experience of others has been included into the text. For the sake of completeness of each chapter, a slight overlap in some cases was inevitable. We hope the book will serve as a useful collection of opinions on a subject which until recently has been largely ignored by the medical profession. The editors Major contributors H. O. ten Cate Hoedemaker Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Rijnsburgerweg 10,2333 AA Leiden, The Netherlands G. Coremans Department ofInternal Medicine, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Here- straat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium S. Fasth Department of Surgery II, Sahlgrenska Hospital, S-413 45 G6teborg, Swe- den H. G. Gooszen Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Rijnsburgerweg 10, 2333 AA Leiden, The Netherlands J. A. Gruwez Department of General Surgery, University Hospitals KU, Brusselsestraat 63,3000 Leuven, Belgium M. M. Henry Department of Gastroenterology, Central Middlesex Hospital, Acton Lane, London NWlO 7NS, United Kingdom M. R. B. Keighley Department of Surgery, The General Hospital, Steelhouse Lane, Bir- mingham B4 6NH, United Kingdom J. H. C. Kuypers Department of Surgery, University Hospital St. Radboud, Geert Groote- plein Zuid 14,6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands Ph. B.