[The value of bowel preparation procedure in major orthopedic procedures performed in spinal anesthesia]

In common orthopedic practice the preoperative bowel preparation is used for orthopedic surgery made in spinal anesthesia. This procedure is done to clean bowel from remaining stool and enema or suppository made of laxative substance were used. This activity is undertaken to decrease epidemiological risk and streamline work of orthopedic theater. The purpose of this study was to analyze the value of any of the preoperative bowel preparation procedures. The study was performed randomly and prospective on two groups of patients, 50 patients in each group. The group A consisted of 50 patients who were qualified for a total hip or knee replacement made in spinal anesthesia and were not prepared in any way prior to surgery. The group B consisted of 50 patients who had any of the preoperative bowel preparation procedure. We evaluate the uncontrolled defecation in preoperative period. We have not found any uncontrolled defecation in group A compared with four of those cases in group B. The results allowed us to draw a conclusion about groundlessness of any preoperative bowel preparation procedure for surgery performed in spinal anesthesia.