title: Pelvic floor muscle exercise for fecal incontinence quality of life after coloanal anastomosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of pelvic floor muscle exercise for enhancing fecal incontinence quality of life after coloanal anastomosis in colorectal cancer patients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Methods of improving incontinence have been evaluated in many countries, but never in a Taiwan population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A longitudinal experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two colorectal cancer patients who had received colostomy closure and coloanal anastomosis surgery were recruited from a general hospital in southern Taiwan and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 26) or a control group (n = 26). Both groups received routine postoperative care. However, the experimental group received private consultations, educational DVDs and pamphlets to instruct them in performing pelvic flow muscle exercise. In all participants, the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale was used to measure quality of life before discharge and at one, two, three, six and nine months after discharge. Generalised estimating equations were used to compare longitudinal effects between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The generalised estimating equations revealed that all participants had significantly improved Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale scores at two, three, six and nine months after discharge. Compared to the controls, however, the experimental group had significantly higher scores at two, three, and six months after discharge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patient education in pelvic floor muscle exercise positively affects Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life Scale scores in patients who have received coloanal anastomosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early education in pelvic floor muscle exercise can improve management of fecal incontinence symptoms after coloanal anastomosis and can improve quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, National Tainan Junior College of Nursing, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. lin2368@isu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Yu-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Mackay Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsing-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Chan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Surgery Department, Yuan's General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hong-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, E-DA Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Hsiang
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000601:surgery; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D003106:Colon / Q000601:surgery; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017773:Pelvic Floor; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life; coloanal anastomosis; pelvic floor muscle exercise