What is the Pudendal Nerve Motor Latency Test (PNMLT)?
The full name is the pudendal nerve distal motor latency test. As the “Consensus Statement of Definitions for Anorectal Physiology and Rectal Cancer” for the United States defines it: “Pudendal nerve latency is the measurement of the time from stimulation of the pudendal nerve at the ischial spine to the response of the external anal sphincter. Normal pudendal nerve terminal motor latency is <2.2 ms." This means the normal response time should be 2.2 milliseconds or less. Other points besides the ischial spine can be used for the test, which will cause a different response time. Dr. Robert's approach uses several different points. The most common has a normal latency of 4.0 ms or less. As an example of PNMLT scores one patient’s results at Dr. Robert's hospital were 4.7 ms left and 7.8 ms right. Anything over the normal latency time means the nerve is not operating normally and is therefore probably damaged leading to motor dysfunction of the nerve. The pudendal nerve is found in the p
