There are many excellent reviews of the surgical treatment of rectal prolapse, but there are few that have specifically addressed the issue of constipation in rectal prolapse patients. It is worth remembering that almost every patient with a rectal prolapse…
Constipation
The management of constipation
* Constipation can be defined as the passage of hard stools less frequently than the patient’s own normal pattern. Patients should be aware that a daily bowel movement is not always necessary or ‘normal’. * Initial assessment should involve investigation…
Evaluation of Severe Chronic Constipation. Results. Management
Patient Characteristics Table 1 details the demographic and symptomatic data on the 277 patients by diagnostic category. Table 1. Characteristics of 277 Patients Presenting with Intractable Constipation by Diagnostic Category (Mean ± SD) Group N Age (yr) Women (%) Spontaneous…
Constipation in the Elderly
Over-the-counter (OTC) sales of laxatives generate $400 million annually in the United States. Because approximately 30% of healthy elderly people use laxatives regularly, the elderly contribute substantially to this $400 million market. Indeed, laxatives are second only to analgesics as…
Deadly Constipation?
It is well known that constipation is a common problem among the elderly and that serious mechanical problems, such as bowel perforation or bowel obstruction, can result from constipation. Also well known is the association of fecal impaction with diarrhea…
Constipation in the Elderly: Laxative Preparations
Table 3 presents a classification of commonly used oral laxatives. TABLE 3 Oral Laxatives Stimulant Laxatives 1. Anthraquinone Laxatives senna (eg. Senokot) cascara (eg. together with aloe in Nature’s Remedy) danthron (eg. Modane) 2. Diphenylmethane Laxatives phenolphthalein (eg. Ex-lax, Feen-a-mint)…
Definitions and Epidemiology of Constipation
Constipation is among the most common gastrointestinal disorders. It is so prevalent, in fact, that it has been considered endemic in the elderly population. In the United States alone, more than 3 million prescriptions are written for cathartics yearly and…
Constipation in Childhood: Treatment of constipation
Acute constipation Acute constipation usually responds well to dietary measures. Constipation induced by whole cow’s milk will improve if formula is reintroduced for a few months. The addition of fruits such as prunes, apricots, and plums is helpful. Lactose or…
Medical Treatment of Constipation
Constipation is commonly defined as the paucity of bowel movements. However, patients may have constipation regardless of the number of bowel movements in a unit of time. The inability to satisfactorily evacuate one’s colon and rectum can be manifested by…
Avoiding Constipation
How to prevent constipation and maintain a regular bowel movement In the case of constipation due to functional disturbances one can start by trying to control the problem with general measures. First, the nature of the constipation involved should be…