The rectal ampulla is the wide lower part of the rectum, just above the anal canal, that can stretch to hold faeces until it is convenient to empty the bowel.
| Location | Lower rectum in the pelvis, resting on the pelvic floor (levator ani) above the anorectal junction |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Pelvic splanchnic nerves (S2-S4); Inferior hypogastric plexus |
| Blood Supply | Superior, middle and inferior rectal arteries |
| Venous drainage |
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| Lymphatic drainage |
|
Stores faeces and signals fullness, triggering the urge to open the bowels.
Stretch receptors here produce the sensation of needing to defecate; loss of this sensation or ampulla capacity contributes to constipation and faecal incontinence. Digital rectal examination assesses the ampulla, and low rectal cancers occur here.
A hard mass of stool in the ampulla, common in older or immobile people.
Cancer of the rectal lining, often in the lower rectum.
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