Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Archives of Disease in Childhood logoLink to Archives of Disease in Childhood
. 1993 Jan;68(1):126–129. doi: 10.1136/adc.68.1.126

Biofeedback training in chronic constipation.

M A Benninga 1, H A Büller 1, J A Taminiau 1
PMCID: PMC1029199  PMID: 8434996

Abstract

Twenty nine patients, aged 5-16 years, were studied to evaluate whether biofeedback training is effective in treating children with chronic constipation and encopresis; the clinical outcome at six weeks and 12 months was also evaluated. Patients received on average five biofeedback training sessions. The existence of external anal contraction or decreased rectal sensation in 16 (55%) and eight (27%) of the children, respectively was identified on manometry. After biofeedback training, 26 (90%) of the patients learned to relax the external anal sphincter; 18 (63%) normalised rectal sensation. The training resulted in a significant increase in defecation frequency and a significant decrease in encopresis. At six weeks, 16 (55%) of the patients were clinically symptom free. At follow up after 12 months the results were sustained. Only three patients showed a relapse within six months, of whom two were successfully treated with one extra training session. Biofeedback training might be a useful therapeutical approach in children with chronic constipation and encopresis.

Full text

PDF
126

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Abrahamian F. P., Lloyd-Still J. D. Chronic constipation in childhood: a longitudinal study of 186 patients. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1984 Jun;3(3):460–467. doi: 10.1097/00005176-198406000-00027. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Arndorfer R. C., Stef J. J., Dodds W. J., Linehan J. H., Hogan W. J. Improved infusion system for intraluminal esophageal manometry. Gastroenterology. 1977 Jul;73(1):23–27. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Buser W. D., Miner P. B., Jr Delayed rectal sensation with fecal incontinence. Successful treatment using anorectal manometry. Gastroenterology. 1986 Nov;91(5):1186–1191. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5085(86)80015-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Levine M. D. Children with encopresis: A descriptive analysis. Pediatrics. 1975 Sep;56(3):412–416. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Loening-Baucke V. A. Abnormal rectoanal function in children recovered from chronic constipation and encopresis. Gastroenterology. 1984 Dec;87(6):1299–1304. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Loening-Baucke V. A., Younoszai M. K. Abnormal and sphincter response in chronically constipated children. J Pediatr. 1982 Feb;100(2):213–218. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(82)80637-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Loening-Baucke V., Anuras S. Anorectal manometry in healthy elderly subjects. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1984 Sep;32(9):636–639. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1984.tb02250.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Loening-Baucke V. Factors determining outcome in children with chronic constipation and faecal soiling. Gut. 1989 Jul;30(7):999–1006. doi: 10.1136/gut.30.7.999. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Meunier P., Mollard P., Marechal J. M. Physiopathology of megarectum: the association of megarectum with encopresis. Gut. 1976 Mar;17(3):224–227. doi: 10.1136/gut.17.3.224. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Wald A., Chandra R., Chiponis D., Gabel S. Anorectal function and continence mechanisms in childhood encopresis. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1986 May-Jun;5(3):346–351. doi: 10.1097/00005176-198605000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Archives of Disease in Childhood are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES