Surgery for constipation.

Abstract

Over a period of 30 years a total of 27 patients have been subjected to partial or complete colectomy and anastomosis for constipation. Patients fall into four groups: (i) functional constipation; (ii) adult megacolon; (iii) megasigmoid and (iv) persistent Hirschsprung's disease. The first two groups comprised 17 patients with resistant constipation, with or without megacolon or dolichocolon. Seven (41%) of these patients subsequently required operation for acute small-bowel obstruction due to adhesions. In two patients a permanent ileostomy was necessary for persistent rectal inertia after colectomy. The functional results in these first two groups were good. The third and fourth groups had similar presenting features; five had megasigmoid, and in these resection of the sigmoid colon gave good results. The remaining five patients with proven Hirschsprung's disease responded well to a pull-through resection (4) and to colectomy and anastomosis (1).

• Authors: E S Hughes, F T McDermott, W R Johnson, A L Polglase
• Journal: The Australian and New Zealand journal of surgery (Aust N Z J Surg) Vol. 51 Issue 2 Pg. 144-8 (Apr 1981) ISSN: 0004-8682 [Print] Australia
• PMID: 6940541 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Colon (surgery)
• Constipation (etiology, surgery)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Megacolon (complications, surgery)
• Sigmoid Diseases (surgery)