Nurse interventions in the rehabilitation of adults with neurogenic bowel after spinal cord injury: Rapid Review

Beatriz Novo, Márcia Ribeiro, Mariana Bação, Sandy Severino, Isabel Rabiais, João Tomás, Geyslane Albuquerque and Luís Sousa

Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, 2025, vol. 5, 115

Abstract: Introduction: Neurogenic bowel is a complex condition that affects adults with spinal cord injury, requiring multiple interventions to optimize bowel function. Objective: This review aims to identify the main nursing interventions in the rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury who present a neurogenic bowel. Methods: A rapid literature review based on the Cochrane guidelines was carried out by searching databases on the EBSCO Host and PubMed platforms. Articles in English, published between 2018 and 2024, with free access and addressing nursing interventions for the management of neurogenic bowel were included. Results: Narrative synthesis was carried out using thematic analysis to analyze the 7 articles included in the review. The following nursing interventions were found: digital rectal stimulation, abdominal massage, electrical rectal stimulation, diet management, stimulation of the gastro-colic reflex, muscular exercise and follow-up. Conclusions: Digital and electrical rectal stimulation were the most widely used, while dietary strategies proved important, but without standardized guidelines. Innovative technologies have shown promise, but accessibility can be a challenge. In addition, there is a significant gap in the literature on nursing interventions, as well as great heterogeneity in the studies analyzed. The combination of interventions has been shown to be effective in bowel management in adults with neurogenic bowel, post spinal cord injury. However, the lack of solid scientific evidence reinforces the need for more studies to validate the best nursing practices in this area.

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:dbk:rehabi:v:5:y:2025:i::p:115:id:115

DOI: 10.56294/ri2025115

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