title: Highly effective new oral therapy for faecal impaction.
abstract: We reasoned that relief of faecal impaction could be achieved if a bolus of polyethylene glycol/electrolyte solution was delivered to the caecum over a few hours. Thus, 16 patients with faecal impaction (duration of constipation 5-23 days) were treated in an open study with up to three daily treatments of one litre of polyethylene glycol/electrolyte solution daily, taken orally over 4-6 hours. Complete resolution of impaction, strictly defined, was obtained in 13 patients, and significant improvement in the other three. Only one patient was faecally incontinent and the only side-effect was an increase in borborygmi. Polyethylene glycol/electrolyte solution, given as a treatment dose of one litre daily for up to three days, is a highly effective and acceptable oral therapy for faecal impaction.
authors.affiliation: Gastro-Intestinal Unit, University of Edinburgh, Department of Medicine, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Culbert
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gillett
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferguson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002400:Cathartics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003248:Constipation / Q000150:complications; D005244:Fecal Impaction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols