RESUMO
Objective To explore the effects of rhubarb navel therapy on fecal continence in rectal cancer patients with colostomy.Methods 60 patients with colostomy were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group with 30 patients in each group.Patients in the control group received routine therapy and health education whereas the experimental group received 30-day extra rhubarb navel therapy started on the 15th day after the operation.The two groups were compared in postoperative 3 months with the following factors:the functions of colostomy and the formation of bowel regularity.Results The scores of the scale about the functions of permanent abdominal colostomy were improved in both groups.However,the score in the experimental group was much higher than that in the control group.The number of patients forming bowel regularity in the experimental group was more than that in the control group (19 and 4 cases respectively).Conclusions Rhubarb navel therapy is beneficial to rectal cancer patients with colostomy to improve the functions of colostomy and form the bowel regularity.