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Houstons valves --> transverse rectal folds

The three or four crescentic folds placed horizontally in the rectal mucous membrane; the superior rectal fold is situated near the beginning of the rectum on the left side; the middle rectal fold (Nelaton's fold) is most prominent and consistent and projects from the right side about 8 cm above the anus (approximately the level of the floor of the rectouterine or rectovesical pouch); the inferior rectal fold is on the left side about 5 cm above the anus.

Synonym: plicae transversales recti, Houston's folds, houstons valves, Kohlrausch's valves, plicae recti, rectal folds, rectal valves.