Constipation : etiology, evaluation, and management

The only book to deal specifically with constipation for specialists has been updated to include all the new advances since the first edition (1995). These advances include biofeedback, surgery for constipation, sacral nerve stimulation, the use of laparoscopy for rectal prolapse, treament and our understanding of some of the psychological problems of these patients. Innovations also include Professor Norman Williams’ Malone Procedure and the newer pharmacologic treatments such as nitric oxide and botulinum toxin injections.

The second edition of Constipation is a comprehensive text on the etiology, evaluation, and management of chronic, intractable constipation. As well as being debilitating, constipation is a complaint with many causes and can also be a symptom of more serious pathological changes.

Innovations include Professor Norman Williams’s Malone Procedure (antegrade continent colonic conduit) as well as the newer pharmacologic treatments such as nitric oxide and botulinum toxin injections. The book is written by an international panel of expert authors. All of the new advances developed, described, and tested since writing the first edition are included. Novel chapters include those on biofeedback, surgery for constipation, sacral nerve stimulation, the use of laparoscopy for rectal prolapse, and treament and understanding of some of the psychological problems of patients affected by this condition.

This book is essential for coloproctologists, colorectal surgeons and general surgeons. In addition, the chapters on irritable bowel syndrome, botulinum toxin and other new pharmacologic approaches will appeal to gastroenterologists.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Lisbeth A Selby, M.D.(University of Kentucky College of Medicine)
Description:This is a comprehensive reference for healthcare providers who treat patients with constipation. Unlike many works on constipation, this one draws equally from medical and surgical perspectives. The first edition was published in 1995.
Purpose:The editors sought to produce a book that would address the many facets of constipation, a common but often misunderstood disorder. This book accomplishes this goal, largely due to the multidisciplinary coverage of the various topics related to constipation. As a practicing gastroenterologist with a special interest in this disorder, I found the in-depth coverage of surgical approaches to constipation very helpful.
Audience:Although the authors state in the preface that this is a book for those who manage constipation, they do not clearly state for what level of practitioner it is written. The level of complexity of the book makes it best suited to physicians with subspecialty interest and training in constipation. The amount of detail would not suit the needs of most students, residents, and general practitioners. The authors are largely well known in the field of motility and colorectal disorders.
Features:The book begins with the basics of constipation including definitions, epidemiology, and a helpful chapter with physical examination techniques. The middle portion of the book is a series of chapters on anorectal physiologic evaluation. The inclusion of this type of information is especially important since many of these techniques, often available only in referral centers, will not be familiar even to subspecialists. The latter section of the book is devoted to treatment of constipation with a heavy focus on surgical techniques. The detailed illustrations of the surgical procedures provide a unique opportunity to understand the operations, since most published reviews rely heavily on written descriptions. For the most part, the authors clearly point out the limitations of the various procedures.
Assessment:Although the detail of the book is at times daunting, it is well organized so that the reader who needs a quick reference can find an answer quickly. I find it a handy reference and plan to consult it many times. The second edition is needed since there have been many developments in the field since 1995.

Constipation may simply be a symptom that signi?es an obsessive desire to defecate with regular frequency. The authors of this text,however,have demonstrated admirably that this nebulous condition often has a multifaceted etiology. I enjoyed reading this exc- lent text,which covers the gamut of topics related to the etiology,assessment,investi- tion,and management of constipation. The editors have recruited an international team of exemplary ability and have amassed a very comprehensive and consistent text. The chapters merge imperceptibly with minimal repetition. Novel treatments and the more accepted approaches have been presented in considerable detail. This book should be considered the standard for health care professionals managing functional bowel and allied disorders. It provides a benchmark on how to approach and treat the constipated patient. The majority of the authors have been my esteemed colleagues for a number of years; thus it is with particular pleasure that I am able to share their opinions so ably expressed in their respective chapters. This book demonstrates that coloproctology remains a dynamic specialty that provides a holistic approach to constipation. Man- ing constipation without understanding the psyche and emotions, together with the background of emotional and physical traumas of life, would be analogous to walking blindfolded. It has been my pleasure and privilege to have been associated with the editors for some nineteen years and to watch their reputations grow in the international arena. It has been an honor to write the foreword for this book which deserves great success. The second edition of Constipation is a comprehensive text on the etiology, evaluation, and management of chronic, intractable constipation. As well as being debilitating, constipation is a complaint with many causes and can also be a symptom of more serious pathological changes. Innovations include Professor Norman Williams's Malone Procedure (antegrade continent colonic conduit) as well as the newer pharmacologic treatments such as nitric oxide and botulinum toxin injections. The book is written by an international panel of expert authors. All of the new advances developed, described, and tested since writing the first edition are included. Novel chapters include those on biofeedback, surgery for constipation, sacral nerve stimulation, the use of laparoscopy for rectal prolapse, and treament and understanding of some of the psychological problems of patients affected by this condition. This book is essential for coloproctologists, colorectal surgeons and general surgeons. In addition, the chapters on irritable bowel syndrome, botulinum toxin and other new pharmacologic approaches will appeal to gastroenterologists