What should I do if I have fecal incontinence after colon surgery?

Megacolon is a type of digestive tract malformation. The most typical symptoms are frequent abdominal bloating, difficulty in defecation, and inability to eat for a long time. The disease develops slowly and the condition can be mild or severe. Diarrhea is the main symptom, and there will be blood and mucus in the stool. You will first feel abdominal pain and then feel like going to the toilet to defecate, and finally feel that the condition has been relieved. What should I do if I have fecal incontinence after colon surgery?

The disease may also be accompanied by loss of appetite, abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting and liver enlargement. If it is a traditional surgery, then the anorectal area may be expanded by the instrument during the operation, causing the muscles to relax, which will recover after a period of time. However, if the above symptoms appear for a long time with no signs of improvement, you need to go to the hospital for diagnosis to prevent the wound from being contaminated by feces stains.

Megacolon is caused by congenital problems with the nerves of the local intestinal tract, which leads to intestinal peristalsis disorders. Surgery only removes the diseased intestinal tract. The control of defecation is carried out by the anal sphincter. If the nerves there are no problems, it will not be affected. However, due to temporary intestinal peristalsis disorders after surgery, frequent bowel movements may occur. In addition, if the megacolon surgery is performed through the anus, it will stimulate the rectum and sphincter. Frequent bowel movements are normal.

Postoperative anal dilation should generally be started 2-3 weeks after the operation. If it is performed too early, the incision tissue has not yet been fully repaired and healed, and premature anal dilation may lead to complications such as wound rupture and infection. After being discharged from the hospital, you must remember to continue anal dilation and go to the hospital for regular follow-up visits to follow up on the anal dilation situation. If any problems are found in the operation, the doctor will correct them in time. If anal dilation is not performed properly, consequences such as anal stenosis and constipation may occur.

Postoperative Care

Closely observe the patient's condition and changes in vital signs. After the patient returns to the ward, hand over the intraoperative situation to the anesthesiologist. Remove the pillow and place the patient in a supine position before waking up from general anesthesia, with the head tilted to one side to keep the airway open. Measure T, P, and R regularly, give oxygen inhalation, and pay attention to changes in the color of the lips and nail beds, as well as the general condition and perianal bleeding and exudation. Anal canal care: After surgery, an anal canal of appropriate diameter is routinely placed. First, it can dilate the anus; second, it can ensure smooth discharge of gas and secretions, avoid abdominal distension, and promote healing of the anastomosis. Therefore, the anal canal must be properly fixed after the operation, a simple fecal bag must be connected to the end of the anal canal and replaced in time, and the properties of the drainage must be observed. The child's lower limbs must be properly restrained with a restraint belt to prevent the anal canal from slipping, and the anal canal should be removed after 3 to 5 days.

Patients should strengthen their nutrition after surgery and have regular check-ups to check their recovery progress. If inflammation occurs, they should take anti-inflammatory measures in time. They should pay attention to eating more liquid food that is easy to swallow and choose foods with less crude fiber, such as soft-cooked noodles, millet porridge, mashed meat, egg custard, etc. Eat less irritating food and pay more attention to rest.