Fecal incontinence (FI) significantly impairs patient quality of life and creates substantial distress not only for affected individuals but also for nurses and caregivers. The prevalence of FI among older adults is estimated at up to 20%, although the sensitive nature of the condition often prevents active reporting by patients. This article reviews risk factors and pharmacotherapies for FI, emphasizing the therapeutic potential of Daikenchuto (DKT). The etiology of FI is multifactorial and lacks a singular definition. Currently, no prescription drugs specifically approved for FI are available, leaving treatment options limited. Nonetheless, major clinical guidelines have identified several viable pharmacological approaches. Strongly recommended treatments include the antidiarrheal agent loperamide and stool bulking or solidifying agents, such as dietary fiber and polycarbophil. Other therapeutic options include ramosetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist; amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant; and sodium valproate and diazepam, which are GABAergic neuromodulators. Recently, research has explored the efficacy and mechanism of action of DKT, a traditional Japanese medicine Kampo. Historically used for abdominal symptoms like bloating and known for promoting intestinal motility, emerging evidence suggests DKT may also effectively manage FI.
Stoma prolapse can usually be managed conservatively by stoma care nurses. However, surgical management is considered when complications make traditional care difficult and/or stoma prolapse affects normal bowel function and induces incarceration. If the stoma functions as a fecal diversion, the prolapse is resolved by stoma reversal. Loop stoma prolapse reportedly occurs when increased intraabdominal pressure induces stoma prolapse by pushing the stoma up between the abdominal wall and the intestine, particularly in cases of redundant or mobile colon. Therefore, stoma prolapse repair aims to prevent or eliminate the space between the abdominal wall and the intestine, as well as the redundant or mobile intestine. Accordingly, surgical repair methods for stoma prolapse are classified into 3 types: methods to fix the intestine, methods to shorten the intestine, and methods to eliminate the space between the stoma and the abdominal wall around the stoma orifice. Additionally, the following surgical techniques at the time of stoma creation are reported to be effective in preventing stoma prolapse: an avoidance of excessive fascia incision, fixation of the stoma to the abdominal wall, an appropriate selection of the intestinal site for the stoma orifice to minimize the redundant intestine, and the use of an extraperitoneal route for stoma creation.
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Purpose Current acceptance of the watch-and-wait (W&W) approach by surgeons in Asia-Pacific countries is unknown. An international survey was performed to determine status of the W&W approach on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Coloproctology (APFCP).
Methods Surgeons in the APFCP completed an Institutional Review Board-approved anonymous e-survey and/or printed letters (for China) containing 19 questions regarding nonsurgical close observation in patients who achieved clinical complete response (cCR) to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT).
Results Of the 417 responses, 80.8% (n = 337) supported the W&W approach and 65.5% (n = 273) treated patients who achieved cCR after nCRT. Importantly, 78% of participants (n = 326) preferred a selective W&W approach in patients with old age and medical comorbidities who achieved cCR. In regard to restaging methods after nCRT, the majority of respondents based their decision to use W&W on a combination of magnetic resonance imaging results (94.5%, n = 394) with other test results. For interval between nCRT completion and tumor response assessment, most participants used 8 weeks (n = 154, 36.9%), followed by 6 weeks (n = 127, 30.5%) and 4 weeks (n = 102, 24.5%). In response to the question of how often responders followed-up after W&W, the predominant period was every 3 months (209 participants, 50.1%) followed by every 2 months (75 participants, 18.0%). If local regrowth was found during follow-up, most participants (79.9%, n = 333) recommended radical surgery as an initial management.
Conclusion The W&W approach is supported by 80% of Asia-Pacific surgeons and is practiced at 65%, although heterogeneous hospital or society protocols are also observed. These results inform oncologists of future clinical study participation.
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