What is the anus?

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It is called the anus. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as the external opening of the digestive tract.

Summary

It is called the anus. Gray's Anatomy (1918) describes it as the external opening of the digestive tract.

What it is

  • The external opening of the digestive tract.
  • Surrounded by two muscular sphincters \u2014 an internal (smooth muscle) and an external (voluntary).
  • Controls the release of feces.

Where it is

  • At the lower end of the anal canal.
  • Between the buttocks.
  • The perianal skin is richly supplied with sensory nerves.

Sources

According to Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body (1918, public domain):

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