Bowel dysfunction following pelvic organ cancer: a prospective study on the treatment effect in nurse-led late sequelae clinics.

BACKGROUND: Bowel dysfunction following treatment of pelvic organ cancer is prevalent and impacts the quality of life (QoL). The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effects of treating bowel dysfunction in two nurse-led late sequelae clinics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Treatment effects were monitored prospectively by patient-reported outcome measures collected at baseline and discharge. Change in bowel function was evaluated by 15 bowel symptoms, the St. Mark's Incontinence Score, the Patients Assessment of Constipation-Symptoms (PAC-SYM) score and self-rated bowel function. QoL was evaluated by the EuroQol 5-dimension 5-level (EQ-5D-5L) utility score and by measuring the impact of bowel function on QoL. RESULTS: From June 2018 to December 2021, 380 cancer survivors (46% rectal, 15% gynaecological, 13% anal, 12% colon, 12% prostate, and 2% other cancers) completed a baseline questionnaire and started treatment for bowel dysfunction. At referral, 96% of patients were multisymptomatic. The most frequent symptoms were faecal urgency (95%), fragmented defaecation (93%), emptying difficulties (92%), flatus/faecal incontinence (flatus 89%, liquid 59%, solid 33%), and obstructed defaecation (79%). In total, 169 patients were discharged from the clinics in the follow-up period. At discharge, 69% received conservative treatment only and 24% also received transanal irrigation; 4% were surgically treated; 3% discontinued treatment. Improvements were seen in all 15 bowel symptoms (p < 0.001), the mean St. Mark's Incontinence Score (12.0 to 9.9, p < 0.001), the mean PAC-SYM score (1.04 to 0.84, p < 0.001) and the mean EQ-5D-5L utility score (0.78 to 0.84, p < 0.001). Self-rated bowel function improved in 56% (p < 0.001) of cases and the impact of bowel function on QoL improved in 46% (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Treatment of bowel dysfunction in nurse-led late sequelae clinics is feasible and significantly improved bowel function and QoL.

Danish translation and qualitative validation of the Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profileand the Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing.

INTRODUCTION: Patients may experience late complications following surgical treatment for colorectal and anal cancer, and we need instruments in Danish to plan treatment and person-centred follow-up treatment approaches. For this purpose, we chose the Measure Yourself Medical Outcome Profile (MYMOP) and Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing (MYCaW). The aim of this study was to translate the two instruments into Danish and conduct a subsequent qualitative validation. METHODS: The translation process consists of five stages: forward translation, synthesis, back translation, expert panel review and pretesting. Qualitative validation included interview with target audience representatives, testing of face-validity and evaluation by lay persons. RESULTS: Through the translation process and qualitative validation, we produced Danish versions of the MYMOP and the MYCaW. CONCLUSIONS: The Danish versions of the two questionnaires are now ready for use in clinical practice and research after individual licensing consultation with the copyright holders. FUNDING: none. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.

Transanal Irrigation for Neurogenic Bowel Disease, Low Anterior Resection Syndrome, Faecal Incontinence and Chronic Constipation: A Systematic Review.

Transanal irrigation (TAI) has received increasing attention as a treatment option in patients with bowel dysfunction. This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and evaluates the effect of TAI in neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD), low anterior resection syndrome (LARS), faecal incontinence (FI) and chronic constipation (CC). The primary outcome was the effect of TAI on bowel function. Secondary outcomes included details on TAI, quality of life (QoL), the discontinuation rate, adverse events, predictive factors for a successful outcome, and health economics. A systematic search for articles reporting original data on the effect of TAI on bowel function was performed, and 27 eligible studies including 1435 individuals were included. Three randomised controlled trials, one non-randomised trial, and 23 observational studies were included; 70% of the studies were assessed to be of excellent or good methodological quality. Results showed an improvement in bowel function among patients with NBD, LARS, FI, and CC with some studies showing improvement in QoL. However, discontinuation rates were high. Side effects were common, but equally prevalent among comparative treatments. No consistent predictive factors for a successful outcome were identified. Results from this review show that TAI improves bowel function and potentially QoL; however, evidence remains limited.

Long-term gastrointestinal sequelae in colon cancer survivors: prospective pilot study on identification, the need for clinical evaluation and effects of treatment.

AIM: The aim of the present pilot study was to describe the type and frequency of long-term gastrointestinal symptoms within a well-defined cohort of colon cancer survivors, their wish for clinical evaluation and treatment outcomes. METHOD: A screening survey was sent to colon cancer survivors 12, 24 and 36 months after surgery. Based on their main symptoms, patients who wished to have a consultation were referred to the gastroenterological or surgical unit of our late cancer sequelae clinic. Treatment effect was monitored by questionnaires on bowel symptoms and the EuroQol five-dimensional (EQ-5D) quality-of-life score. RESULTS: Overall, 953 patients who had survived colon cancer received the screening survey and 767 replied (response rate 80.5%). Of these, 76 (9.9%; 95% CI 7.9%-12.2%) were referred for algorithm-based clinical evaluation and treatment of bowel dysfunction. The majority were women (69.7%) who had undergone a right-sided colonic resection (65.8%). Patients reported various symptoms, mainly including urgency, fragmented defaecation, loose stools and incontinence for liquid stools. Patients with emptying difficulties and low anterior resection syndrome-like symptoms were referred to the surgical unit and patients with diarrhoea were referred to the gastroenterological unit for clinical work-up. Our main endpoint, mean EQ-5D index after treatment, was improved compared with baseline (baseline 0.809, after treatment 0.846; p = 0.049). After treatment, self-rated bowel function and several bowel symptoms were improved as well. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of identifying colon cancer survivors in need of treatment of late gastrointestinal sequelae and clinical management in a multidisciplinary team setting.

Nurse-led standardized intervention for low anterior resection syndrome. A population-based pilot study.

AIM: Our aim was to study the implementation of the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score in a clinical setting and to evaluate a nurse-led standardized intervention for bowel dysfunction following rectal cancer surgery. METHOD: All patients who underwent curatively intended, restorative rectal cancer resection in a single centre between 2012 and 2016 were screened using the LARS score. At clinical follow-up, patients with major LARS were offered treatment in a nurse-led clinic. Data were retrospectively collected from patients' electronic medical records. RESULTS: In total, 190 out of 286 (66%) patients were screened with the LARS score of whom 89 had major LARS. A total of 86 patients requested treatment for their bowel dysfunction and the majority obtained acceptable function after nurse-led optimized conservative treatment. Seventeen patients went on to transanal irrigation, and seven patients were treated with biofeedback. Five patients were referred for surgery, three for gastroenterological evaluation. After treatment in the clinic, patients achieved a statistically significant decrease in median LARS score from 37 (interquartile range 34-39) to 31 (interquartile range 23-34) (P < 0.001), and the prevalence of major LARS fell from 95% to 53% (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Screening for LARS was not optimal as one-third of patients were not screened. The majority of patients with major LARS requested treatment for their symptoms and could be successfully treated with standardized interventions managed in a nurse-led setting.

Altered anal slow-wave pressure activity in low anterior resection syndrome: short case series in two independent specialist centres provide new mechanistic insights.

AIM: Conventional parameters (anal resting and squeeze pressures) measured with anorectal manometry (ARM) fail to identify anal sphincter dysfunction in many patients with low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). We aimed to assess whether there are differences in anal canal slow-wave pressure activity in LARS patients and healthy individuals. METHOD: High-resolution ARM (HR-ARM) traces of 21 consecutive male LARS patients referred to the Royal London Hospital, UK (n = 12) and Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark (n = 9) were compared with HR-ARM data from 37 healthy men. RESULTS: Qualitatively (by visual inspection of HR-ARM recordings), the frequency of slow-wave pressure activity was strikingly different in 11/21 (52.4%) LARS patients from that observed in all the healthy individuals. Quantitative analysis showed that peaks of the mean spectrum in these 11 LARS patients occurred at approximately 6-7 cycles per minute (cpm), without activity at higher frequencies. An equivalent pattern was found in only 2/37 (5.4%) healthy individuals (P < 0.0001). Peaks of the mean spectrum in healthy individuals were concentrated at 16 cpm and 3-4 cpm. CONCLUSION: Over half of the male LARS patients studied had altered anal slow-wave pressure activity based on analysis of HR-ARM recordings. Further studies could investigate the relative contributions of sex, human baseline variance and neoadjuvant/surgical therapies on anal slow waves, and correlate the presence of abnormal activity with symptom severity.

Acute abdomen in a patient with paraesophageal hernia, resulting in acute compromised respiratory function: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: We present a case of acute abdomen, causing increased intra-abdominal pressure, leading to further herniation of an existing paraesophageal hernia, and consequently acute compromised respiratory function. This acute respiratory complication to a paraesophageal hernia has not previously been reported. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present a case of a 75-year-old female who was acutely admitted with stridor. The patient was known to have a paraesophageal hernia monitored using watchful waiting, and dyspnoea. The patient's condition deteriorated, leading to intubation. Diagnostic imaging revealed a paraesophageal hernia pressing onto the trachea as well as appendicitis and ileus. Surgery confirmed perforated appendicitis, peritonitis, and ileus causing high intra-abdominal pressure, resulting in further herniation of the paraesophageal hernia as a cause for acute compromised respiratory function. Appendectomy and gastropexy were performed. The patient was later discharged to rehabilitation. DISCUSSION: Patients with pulmonary symptoms caused by a paraesophageal hernia, especially patients with sizeable hernias, could potentially be in greater risk of severe airway affection if complicated by acute abdomen. These patients could benefit from elective hernia repair, rather than watchful waiting, as it would eliminate pulmonary symptoms and prevent similar cases. Patients monitored using watchful waiting should be informed that acute abdomen could cause acute compromised respiratory function. CONCLUSION: Any case of acute abdomen causing high intra-abdominal pressure could potentially cause further herniation of an existing paraesophageal hernia, resulting in acute compromised respiratory function. In patients known to have a paraesophageal hernia, similar cases should be suspected if the patient presents with acute breathing difficulties.