Abstract
Bowel dysfunction is frequently reported to be a leading cause of reduced quality of life following a spinal cord injury (SCI). There are numerous interventions for neurogenic bowel dysfunction, of which digital removal of faeces is one of the most commonly performed. It is imperative that nurses in the community and acute settings are trained and able to carry out digital removal of faeces when indicated. Failure to provide this care can have serious consequences for the patient, including faecal incontinence, bowel obstruction and autonomic dysreflexia. This literature review assesses the quality of evidence available on digital removal of faeces for people with SCI. It concludes that digital rectal removal of faeces remains a necessary intervention for many patients. More research and training are needed on this and other interventions for neurogenic bowel management. The low status of bowel care in nursing and wider society needs to be challenged so that people with SCI can benefit from high quality bowel care and associated improvements in quality of life.
Published Version
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