Abstract
The aim of this review is to consolidate the current literature on the diagnosis, trends, and management of faecal impaction in the elderly population. Constipation is a commonly occurring issue in clinical practise. Faecal impaction is a more severe and debilitating complication. Whilst constipation is well researched, there is limited discussion on faecal impaction which is often labelled as a complication of chronic constipation. Faecal impaction is of relevance to the elderly population due to their susceptibility to complications and morbidity. A systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE databases was conducted, and 14 articles were included in the final review. Multiple associated factors were identified including low fibre diet, reduced fluid intake, medications, neurological disorders, and lack of physical activity. This review further explores management options and potential complications of faecal impaction. Finally, this review highlights the importance of preventative measures including close monitoring of patients and early initiation of bowel regimes. This review concludes that further research is needed in this area and an improved methodology for collecting data on faecal impaction in the elderly and institutionalised patients.
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Data Availability
The data utilised in this study were obtained through a systematic search of the PubMed® and EMBASE® databases using the search string ‘faecal impaction’ or ‘faecal impaction’ and ‘chronic constipation,’ with exclusion criteria based on age and publication date. The search was limited to humans and restricted to articles published after 1980. Additionally, only articles published in English were considered to ensure data consistency and accurate interpretation. The detailed list of 78 articles that met our inclusion criteria is available upon request from the corresponding author at ashim.chowdury@nhs.net. These articles were individually reviewed and analysed as part of the study’s methodology. Researchers interested in accessing this dataset for further analysis or verification are encouraged to contact the corresponding author.
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Allu, V., Suseeharan, M. & Chowdhury, A. Faecal Impaction of the Elderly: a Review of the Existing Literature. Indian J Surg (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12262-023-03870-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12262-023-03870-5