Clinical nursing management of low anterior resection syndrome - a practical guide to understanding and managing symptoms

Low anterior resection with total mesorectal excision and reconstruction with coloanal anastomosis is the optimal treatment of nondisseminated rectal cancer in selected patients and has seen a decrease in permanent stomas. However, up to 60% of patients can suffer from bothersome functional bowel c...

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Main Authors: Pieri, Carolyn, Patton, Vicki
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: 2020
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90541
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author Pieri, Carolyn
Patton, Vicki
author_facet Pieri, Carolyn
Patton, Vicki
author_sort Pieri, Carolyn
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Low anterior resection with total mesorectal excision and reconstruction with coloanal anastomosis is the optimal treatment of nondisseminated rectal cancer in selected patients and has seen a decrease in permanent stomas. However, up to 60% of patients can suffer from bothersome functional bowel complaints associated with the surgery and neo-adjuvant and adjuvant therapies, which are known as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). LARS symptoms include faecal urgency, incontinence, frequency, constipation and incomplete emptying, in which patients may suffer from one or multiple symptoms. Patients should be informed about the possibility of permanent changes to their bowel function and what impact it could have on their quality of life. Nursing involvement is key to optimising symptoms and patient quality of life for patients suffering with LARS. Nursing management includes performing a physical assessment and determining the severity of LARS symptoms and effect on quality of life. Treatments available for LARS are based around the symptoms the patient is suffering and can include dietary modifications; biofeedback and pelvic floor physiotherapy; dietary fibre supplements / bulking agents; medications; transanal irrigation; surgical options and education.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-905412024-01-26T04:24:04Z Clinical nursing management of low anterior resection syndrome - a practical guide to understanding and managing symptoms Pieri, Carolyn Patton, Vicki Low anterior resection with total mesorectal excision and reconstruction with coloanal anastomosis is the optimal treatment of nondisseminated rectal cancer in selected patients and has seen a decrease in permanent stomas. However, up to 60% of patients can suffer from bothersome functional bowel complaints associated with the surgery and neo-adjuvant and adjuvant therapies, which are known as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). LARS symptoms include faecal urgency, incontinence, frequency, constipation and incomplete emptying, in which patients may suffer from one or multiple symptoms. Patients should be informed about the possibility of permanent changes to their bowel function and what impact it could have on their quality of life. Nursing involvement is key to optimising symptoms and patient quality of life for patients suffering with LARS. Nursing management includes performing a physical assessment and determining the severity of LARS symptoms and effect on quality of life. Treatments available for LARS are based around the symptoms the patient is suffering and can include dietary modifications; biofeedback and pelvic floor physiotherapy; dietary fibre supplements / bulking agents; medications; transanal irrigation; surgical options and education. 2020 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90541 10.33235/jsta.40.2.8-13 English restricted
spellingShingle Pieri, Carolyn
Patton, Vicki
Clinical nursing management of low anterior resection syndrome - a practical guide to understanding and managing symptoms
title Clinical nursing management of low anterior resection syndrome - a practical guide to understanding and managing symptoms
title_full Clinical nursing management of low anterior resection syndrome - a practical guide to understanding and managing symptoms
title_fullStr Clinical nursing management of low anterior resection syndrome - a practical guide to understanding and managing symptoms
title_full_unstemmed Clinical nursing management of low anterior resection syndrome - a practical guide to understanding and managing symptoms
title_short Clinical nursing management of low anterior resection syndrome - a practical guide to understanding and managing symptoms
title_sort clinical nursing management of low anterior resection syndrome - a practical guide to understanding and managing symptoms
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90541