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Medical Definition of External anal sphincter
1. A fusiform ring of striated muscular fibres surrounding the anus, attached posteriorly to the coccyx and anteriorly to the central tendon of the perineum; it is subdivided, often indistinctly, into a subcutaneous part, a superficial part and a deep part for descriptive purposes. Synonym: musculus sphincter ani externus, external sphincter muscle of anus. (05 Mar 2000)