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Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Chinese Herbal Retention Enema for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

Chinese Herbal Retention Enema for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

Published on: May 16, 2025

Transanal irrigation for disordered defecation: a systematic review.

Peter Christensen¹, Klaus Krogh

¹Department of Surgery P, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. Piz@webspeed.dk

Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology

|March 5, 2010

Summary

Transanal irrigation (TAI) offers a simple, minimally invasive treatment for disordered defecation, improving bowel control and preventing leakage. This method is effective for conditions like neurogenic bowel dysfunction, potentially avoiding surgery.

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Last Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Chinese Herbal Retention Enema for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

Chinese Herbal Retention Enema for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis

Published on: May 16, 2025

Area of Science:

Gastroenterology and Colorectal Surgery
Neuro-rehabilitation and Urology

Background:

Disordered defecation significantly impacts quality of life.
Transanal irrigation (TAI) is a minimally invasive, reversible treatment option.
TAI is increasingly recognized in the treatment hierarchy for bowel dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the evidence supporting transanal irrigation for disordered defecation.
To explore the physiological basis and safety of TAI.
To propose an algorithm for TAI implementation before surgical intervention.

Main Methods:

Systematic review of studies on transanal irrigation.
Analysis of physiological principles and clinical evidence.
Evaluation of TAI in specific patient populations, including spinal cord injury.

Main Results:

Scheduled TAI promotes left colon and rectal emptying, preventing fecal leakage and enabling pseudocontinence.
TAI effectively manages constipation through regular rectosigmoid evacuation.
Evidence demonstrates TAI's superiority in spinal cord injury patients with neurogenic bowel dysfunction, with positive health-economic outcomes.

Conclusions:

Transanal irrigation is a valuable, evidence-based treatment for disordered defecation.
TAI offers significant benefits in managing neurogenic bowel dysfunction and preventing constipation.
An algorithm for TAI introduction is proposed as a step before considering irreversible surgery.