Clinical Success of Defecation-Inducing, Gravity-Fed, Colonic Lavage for Relief of Constipation - Report of 1,804 Procedures

Chronic Constipation (CC) is a global health problem associated with considerable morbidity and significant financial burden. This problem is one of the top five most common physician diagnoses for gastrointestinal disorders among outpatient clinic visits, accounting for almost eight million ambulatory visits a year. Current therapies for CC are costly and often produce suboptimal results. We report on a prescription-only gravity-fed colonic lavage procedure that provides an alternative for patients suffering from constipation. This FDA-cleared open system using high-volume (average 40 liter) gravity-fed water. We report on 1,804 consecutive procedures performed under stringent standard operating procedures (SOP) for 1,040 patients under general supervision by 81, physicians between January 2017 and March 2021 (51 months). All the constipation relief procedures were 100% clinically successful, and no serious adverse events were recorded. Clinical success was defined as successful defecation. Data was collected by the staff and by providing the patients with multiple-choice questionnaires and free-text post-procedure surveys. Adverse events were recorded by the staff using a standardized process. The patients’ age range was 18-99, with the mean age 57.2±17, 81% females and 19% males. Of the 1,040 patients, 76% (792 patients) had one procedure, and 24% underwent multiple procedures (4.02±4.8). The post-procedure surveys revealed high patient satisfaction and willingness to repeat at all clinic locations. High-volume, gravity-fed, defecation-inducing colonic lavage for constipation relief is shown to be safe and effective and should be considered a primary medical alternative for patients suffering from constipation who have failed or are unsatisfied with other therapeutic alternatives.

Keywords: Constipation, Motility.