PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Kamm, M A
AU  - Hawley, P R
AU  - Lennard-Jones, J E
TI  - Outcome of colectomy for severe idiopathic constipation.
AID  - 10.1136/gut.29.7.969
DP  - 1988 Jul 01
TA  - Gut
PG  - 969--973
VI  - 29
IP  - 7
4099  - http://gut.bmj.com/content/29/7/969.short
4100  - http://gut.bmj.com/content/29/7/969.full
SO  - Gut1988 Jul 01; 29
AB  - Severe idiopathic constipation affects predominantly young women. We have evaluated the results of colectomy in 44 women with a normal diameter colon and with a median bowel frequency of once per four weeks. The operations were done in one hospital over a 15 year period. After operation 22 patients had normal bowel frequency, 17 diarrhoea (greater than three bowel actions/day), and five persistent or recurrent constipation (interval between bowel actions at least three days). Many patients continued to experience abdominal pain (98% preoperatively v 71% postoperatively); straining and laxative use were still common after surgery. Ten patients needed psychiatric treatment for severe psychological disorders. The preoperative abnormalities of paradoxical contraction of the pelvic floor during straining and impaired rectal evacuation of a water filled balloon did not correlate with the outcome.