Review of Etiology, Clinical Evaluation, Medical and Surgical Treatment of Constipation

Jalali, SAR; Jalali, SA

Review of Etiology, Clinical Evaluation, Medical and Surgical Treatment of Constipation

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

SAR Jalali

SA Jalali

Professor of General Surgery and Gastrointestinal, Liver Disease Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Primary chronic constipation is a common problem, but is less likely lead to a malignant condition. The act of defecation is involuntary at the beginning but it needs voluntary muscles to work synergistically to take place satisfactorily. Some metabolic diseases and drugs can cause constipation, which can be cured by the cessation of the drug or the treatment of the underlying disease. Acute or sudden onset of constipation or change of bowel hobbit should be thoroughly worked up. Secondary constipation is due to spinal cord injury or nerve damage, but it is not discussed here. Ordinary person have their own definition of constipation, so in handling a patient with this problem it should be known precisely what does he or she means by constipation. In the last decade new drugs are used for the treatment of constipation. Surgical treatment of constipation is also common in some cases, after careful work ups, and is defined as total colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis and it is described here. Since this kind of surgery is becoming common in certain cases, it is necessary that our colleagues become familiar with it.

Keywords

Constipation

Colon

Total Colectomy