Martínez Hernández-Magro P, Caballero LC, Carranza RJM, Villanueva SE

Language: Spanish
References: 26
Page: 95-101
PDF size: 108.25 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Background: The symptoms caused by severe constipation are frequently found in clinical medicine. Their study implies a complete physical examination and laboratory testing and imaging studies that include the objective measurement of the intestinal transit throughout the colon by radiopaque markers.
Objectives: Report our findings in the constipated patient and prove the important of the colonic transit in the study of this pathology.
Material and methods: Longitudinal, observational and prospective study in patients in a third-level hospital referred by severe constipation, multitreated and without response to dietetic modifications. A determination of the colonic transit was made to all patients regardless apparent cause of constipation. X-rays were taken at the same tour for five days or until the day when the markers had been totally evacuated or when the markers remained in rectosigmoid, suggesting outlet obstruction in the initial plates. The colonic transit total time was defined according to the Arhan’s formula and 72 hours higher time was defined as a long colonic transit; according to the affected segment, patients were classified in colonic inertia or obstructive constipation
Results: 30 patients were studied, 21 (70%) were women and 9 (30%) were men, one patient was excluded for taking laxatives during the study. The colonic transit total times varied within 32 hours to 124 hours with a 77.14 hours media, 12 patients (41.3%) showed slow transit, 13 patients (44.8%) showed outlet functional obstruction, and 4 patients (13.7%) showed normal colonic transit patterns. The treatment depended on the subtype of constipation of each patient.
Conclusions: The CT directs the type of treatment according to the subtype of constipation that the patient shows; it allows distinguishing between slow colonic transit constipation and outlet obstruction constipation.

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