Quadriplegics bowel routine current practice

When I worked on a SCI unit, we had a 3-2-1 or 2-2-1 rule including mechanical removal, depending on where the injury was, if they had sensation, chance for function to return, etc. 3 is three Sennas or 2 Sennas, 2 colace, 1 for suppository or enema. Senna is for bulk and water, Colace is to facilitate passage, the suppository or enema if to produce evacuation. The menchanics of vagal stimulation or removal of stool ensures that the stool is successfully removed. The purpose is to prevent autonomic dysreflexia, so a well managed bowel routine is NECESSARY, not optional. So now you know the WHY...you kind of answered you question, but at least getting my explanation, and checking your facility's policy, can determine the clinical decision you make. Remember, autonomic dysreflexia is a CRITICAL EMERGENCY...it's a complication that I would suggest you would want to AVOID in your pt. HTH!

I think a regular schedule of manual feces removal is a fact of life for most quadriplegics. If they truly lack bowel motility, no amount of colace or senna will work with some degree of manual disimpacting.

Colace and senna should be given every day. Suppositories every 2 or 3, depending on the pt.

And, yes, even after a suppository is given, the nurse must manually remove the feces. Or at least feel to see if there's any more stool up there that needs to come out.

Manual Disimpaction is necessary; it's a part of assessment to make sure the stool is not impacted, as Brandon mentioned. The medication regiment is replacing the body's natural process of facilitating, movement, and evacuation of stool. The regimen will depend on the pt, and the orders may be different, but the manual removal still is needed, as well as decrease the chances of AD.