Mapping the Evidence for Inpatient Management of Fecal Impaction in Children: A Review

Functional constipation affects 9.5% to 14.4% of children worldwide, and fecal impaction requiring hospitalization is increasingly common. Despite its growing prevalence and associated costs, there are no consensus guidelines for inpatient management.

To systematically review the literature on inpatient management of pediatric fecal impaction and identify knowledge gaps and research priorities.

We conducted a scoping review of studies and hospital protocols describing inpatient treatment of pediatric fecal impaction or severe constipation. Data were extracted on interventions, outcomes, definitions of success, and study quality.

Fifteen studies and 6 hospital protocols met inclusion criteria. There was substantial variability in treatment approaches, including the choice and administration route of polyethylene glycol (PEG), use of adjunctive rectal therapies, and criteria for successful cleanout. PEG-based regimens were most commonly used and generally effective, but approaches ranged from oral to nasogastric and rectal delivery. Some studies showed that outcomes of oral PEG mirrored outpatient regimens, raising questions about the necessity of hospitalization in select cases. Long-term outcomes were infrequently reported, but they revealed high rates of reimpaction, readmissions, and health care reutilization, suggesting that inpatient cleanouts may not provide longstanding benefit.

Inpatient management of pediatric fecal impaction is effective for acute disimpaction but is characterized by heterogeneity in practice and limited long-term benefit. High rates of reimpaction and health care reutilization highlight the need for standardized criteria to guide hospitalization decisions and for evidence-based care models that reduce unnecessary admissions. Future research should prioritize multicenter studies to establish consensus definitions and evaluate long-term outcomes.