Guideline for the management of neurogenic bowel dysfunction in spinal cord injury/disease

This guideline provides practice-oriented support for the care of patients with NBD resulting from congenital or aquired SCI/D. The guideline describes the diagnosis and bowel management of NBD in people with SCI/D. Thus, treatment processes in acute medical care and rehabilitation as well as for lifelong aftercare are presented. Individual bowel management must be developed on the basis of an adequate diagnosis and considering the different lesion types. Due to the multifactorial influenceability of the intestine and the individual neurological deficit, a simple to-do checklist is not effective. Guidelines can only be successful in so far as they are applied in everyday life. Of course, the selection and application of the measures described must always take into consideration the individual situation of the person concerned, and the correct application is always a prerequisite for success.

• 1
  Individual bowel management must be developed on the basis of an adequate diagnosis and considering the different lesion types.
• 2
  Various and complex bowel management programmes are the basis of the treatment of NBD.
• 3
  The guideline highlights the importance of considering the individual situation of the person concerned when selecting and applying bowel management measures.