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I've never used one... I thought once enema is administered, it kinda just flow out by itself without any effort... :chair:
Some of the fluid definitely will flow out without any effort, and if there isn't much in the colon, a great deal of it will flow out with no effort. However, some of the solution is kept in because of your the tight sphincter. And if you have any type of impacted or hardened stools (even though the enema definitely helps with softening the stools), it still requires effort to push it out.
The unconscious individual cannot perform a valsalva maneuver. They must be conscious and able to follow directions.
The rationale regarding the enema is stimulation of the vagus nerve via anal stimulation, causes bradycardia, hypotension, syncope. Sometimes these sudden changes can elicit a cardiovascular event such as lethal arrhythmias, stroke, asystole ---->death.
So, administering enemas can elicit a vagal response and lead to devastating outcomes. Must be done using extreme caution.
Nuieve
262 Posts
The question is about stimulating bowel movement in an unconscious patient.
Rationale says that "enemas may be needed on an every other day basis but they are used cautiously (may even be contraindicated) because the Valsalva maneuver can increase intracranial pressure".
I have no slightest clue what enema has to do with Valsalva menuver. :uhoh21: