If the tear involves the muscles around the anus it is called a third degree tear. If it also involves the tissue on the inside of the anus it is called a fourth degree tear. Approximately 1-3% of women who deliver vaginally will experience third and fourth degree tears.

In the UK, a third- or fourth-degree tear (also known as obstetric anal sphincter injury – OASI) occurs in about 3 in 100 women having a vaginal birth. It is more common with a first vaginal birth, occurring in 6 in 100 women, compared with 2 in 100 women who …

A third-degree tear involves partial tearing of the anal sphincter (a group of muscles that help control the opening to the anal canal). A fourth-degree tear involves injury to the anal sphincter and into the anal canal. A doctor will explain the type of tear you have and how to …

Third-degree tear: fourchette, perineal skin, vaginal mucosa, muscles, and anal sphincter are torn; third-degree tears may be further subdivided into three subcategories: [6] 3a: partial tear of the external anal sphincter involving less than 50% thickness; 3b: greater than 50% tear of the external anal sphincter; 3c: internal sphincter is torn

Third degree tear: injury to perineum involving the anal sphincter complex; Grade 3a tear – less than 50% of external anal sphincter (EAS) thickness torn; Grade 3b tear – more than 50% of EAS thickness torn; Grade 3c tear – both EAS and internal anal sphincter (IAS) torn

These are tears involving the external anal sphincter (EAS) muscle (muscular ring around the anus). Third degree tears are labelled according to the extent of the injury: • 3a is a tear involving less than 50% of the EAS muscle • 3b is a tear involving more than 50% of the EAS muscle

Feb 12, 2024 · Third degree tearing affects vaginal tissue, perineal skin, and the perineal muscles, which go as low as the anal sphincter. How Is A Third Degree Tear Treated? Minor tears are treated with a simple local anaesthetic. In the case of a third degree tear, which includes muscle tissue, a more effective local anaesthetic might be used.

3B: more than 50 percent of the external anal sphincter is damaged. 3C: all of the external anal sphincter and also the internal anal sphincter is damaged. Involve the external and internal anal sphincters and extend through the anal mucosa, which is the inner lining of the anus.

Feb 13, 2024 · Third and fourth degree perineal tears may adversely affect physical, psychological and sexual wellbeing, and sometimes require surgery (ACSQHC 2021). While it is possible to reduce the risk of experiencing a perineal tear, they are not completely preventable.

Third- or fourth-degree tears, also known as an obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI), can occur in 6 out of 100 births (6%) for first time mothers and less than 2 in 100 births (2%) of births for women who have had a vaginal birth before.