Evaluation and treatment of neurogenic bowel dysfunction – a review

Abstract

Neurogenic bowel dysfunction is a severely troubling entity for patients with neurological disease or injury. The complex symptom cluster presents a challenge, not only for the patients but also for the treating clinician. Without intervention, patients are bound to have a reduced quality of life, and experience social impacts and secondary complications that come along with it. A careful initial assessment provides an idea of symptom severity and is crucial for successful rehabilitation. The mainstay of treatment remains a conservative approach of managing faecal incontinence or optimising the mechanics of defecation to improve patient’s quality of life. This article attempts to provide a comprehensive review of existing literature on pathophysiology, assessment and management of neurogenic bowel dysfunction.