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Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Constipation, Diarrhea, and Intestinal Obstruction

Textbook of Palliative Care

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Abstract

Disturbed bowel function including constipation, diarrhoea and bowel obstructions, commonly affects palliative care patients. This chapter aims to summarise these problems focusing on the current understanding of the prevalence, aetiology and palliative management. The first issue that will be discussed is the most prevalent distal gut problem of constipation. Despite the fact that the majority of palliative care patients require laxatives, the aetiology of constipation in palliative care is not well described. The next topic is diarrhoea which although less common is still equally distressing. A systematic approach to assessment and management recommended. Lastly, the evidence that describes the palliative management of inoperable bowel obstructions will be explored.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer and Palliative Care Network NSLHD, Northern Sydney Cancer Centre Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia

    Katherine Clark

  2. Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia

    Katherine Clark

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  1. Katherine Clark
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Correspondence to Katherine Clark .

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  1. HammondCare Learning and Research Centre, Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, New South Wales, Australia

    Roderick Duncan MacLeod

  2. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VUB-UGent End-of-Life Care Research Grou Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

    Lieve van den Block

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Clark, K. (2018). Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Constipation, Diarrhea, and Intestinal Obstruction. In: MacLeod, R., van den Block, L. (eds) Textbook of Palliative Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31738-0_14-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31738-0_14-1

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  1. Latest

    Constipation, Diarrhea, and Intestinal Obstruction in Palliative Care
    Published:
    09 December 2023

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31738-0_14-2

  2. Original

    Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Constipation, Diarrhea, and Intestinal Obstruction
    Published:
    28 March 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31738-0_14-1

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