[Chronic constipation and its treatment]

Altogether 850 patients suffering from chronic constipation were examined. Of these, 80% only showed functional changes in the intestine, 5% lost the defecation reflex, and 15% manifested inflammation-induced lesions in the intestine. 80% of the patients demonstrated symptoms of dysbacteriosis. Multimodality treatment appeared to produce an appreciable effect in the majority of the patients. As a result many of the patients gave up laxatives.