Constipation is not something to fantasise about. It can be a very painful crippling condition. The bowel can become so distended that it can rupture. On other occasions, people have had to go to theatre and have an operation to have bowel obstructions (due to constipation) removed. I have also heard of at least two cases in the elderly of people getting so constipated and distended that the bowel pressed on the diaphragm, impeding the lungs ability to expand and leading to death.
During any operation, a muscle relaxant is given along with the anaesthetic. This prevents involuntary muscle twitches that could hinder the surgeons while they are operating. This muscle relaxant also affects the bowel, which, post operatively can be slow to get moving again, which can result in bloating, ‘wind’ and severe constipation. This is exacerbated by the use of strong analgesics post op, which are also very constipating.
This type of constipation is not relieved by a few mls of lactulose or a couple of senna. Two glycerin suppositories will not work either. A micro lax enema might be enough to start things off, a fletcher’s phosphate enema might work too. The best remedy (apart from dynorod who usually fix drains) is to go in with all guns blazing, with a rectal catheter attached to the end of the enema. Use a bit of KY jelly on the tip of the catheter. Warm the enema before use in a sink or jug of hot water. Lie the patient on their left side (it has to be the left because of the way the large bowel goes), have the patient draw up their knees and be as relaxed as possible and then insert the catheter as far as you can until you feel resistance. Now squeeze the warm liquid into the bowel. The patient has to attempt to hold the enema in situ for at least 20 minutes before going to the toilet, but often can not manage that long and has to run!
‘Hot and high’ usually does the trick.
In the olden day’s they would use an ‘enema saponis’, which was a pint and a half of a soap and water solution.
Maybe this rather medical reply answers your question!
During any operation, a muscle relaxant is given along with the anaesthetic. This prevents involuntary muscle twitches that could hinder the surgeons while they are operating. This muscle relaxant also affects the bowel, which, post operatively can be slow to get moving again, which can result in bloating, ‘wind’ and severe constipation. This is exacerbated by the use of strong analgesics post op, which are also very constipating.
This type of constipation is not relieved by a few mls of lactulose or a couple of senna. Two glycerin suppositories will not work either. A micro lax enema might be enough to start things off, a fletcher’s phosphate enema might work too. The best remedy (apart from dynorod who usually fix drains) is to go in with all guns blazing, with a rectal catheter attached to the end of the enema. Use a bit of KY jelly on the tip of the catheter. Warm the enema before use in a sink or jug of hot water. Lie the patient on their left side (it has to be the left because of the way the large bowel goes), have the patient draw up their knees and be as relaxed as possible and then insert the catheter as far as you can until you feel resistance. Now squeeze the warm liquid into the bowel. The patient has to attempt to hold the enema in situ for at least 20 minutes before going to the toilet, but often can not manage that long and has to run!
‘Hot and high’ usually does the trick.
In the olden day’s they would use an ‘enema saponis’, which was a pint and a half of a soap and water solution.
Maybe this rather medical reply answers your question!
6 years