Transforming a 10-Year-Old Boy’s Life: How Irrigation Successfully Treated His Chronic Constipation

Nia Krijnen, Paediatric Continence Nurse Specialist, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Ysbyty Gwynedd

To ensure confidentiality, the patient will be known as X 

Patient background: 
A 10 year old boy with long-standing constipation for many years and ongoing issues since potty training. X was soiling daily (numerous times a day), causing a lot of distress to the whole family. He had to be collected from school due to accidents and was very upset and withdrawn most of the time. 

Initially, he was seen by Consultant Paeds and tried numerous oral medications with minimal success – which gave him abdominal pains and very loose stool. 

X was seen in the Continence Clinic numerous times, where we tried various combinations of medications and numerous enemas. He had baseline bloods and marker beads which showed probable slow transit. However, he was seen by a Consultant Surgeon due to a family history of bowel problems. This resulted in a rectal biopsy which ruled out Hirschsprung’s disease. 

Following this trial of irrigation rather than long-term phosphate enemas, suggested by myself, X and his parents were keen to try irrigation, as it would be using water rather than medications. 

We were visited by the Qufora rep for a demonstration this time last year. The first question was, ‘would X be able to administer this himself?’ and I said that this would be my ultimate goal. 

X has been using the system (Qufora IrriSedo Klick) daily with fantastic results. He is now clean, confident and able to administer himself – this has improved his quality of life, having had no accidents in school, and he is much more confident. 

His family are very pleased with the overall experience of using the product and happy with the support and delivery offered by Qufora Direct

Myself and the Consultant are also pleased with the outcome and looking at using more irrigation with suitable patients.