Early nursing interventions for neurogenic bowel dysfunction in acute-phase spinal cord injury patients: A non-concurrent controlled trial.

BACKGROUND

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD), causing significant gastrointestinal issues that adversely affect patients' quality of life (QoL). The current study evaluates the effectiveness of early nursing interventions in managing NBD among SCI patients.

METHODS

A non-concurrent controlled trial design included 125 participants with acute-phase SCI. The control group (n = 56) received standard nursing care, while the intervention group (n = 69) underwent personalized gastrointestinal management. Data were collected via NBD scores and the Short Form-12 QoL questionnaire.

RESULTS

Participants' average age was 41.55 ± 12.59 years, with a near-equal gender distribution. The intervention group showed significant improvement in bowel movement frequency, reduced defecation time, and decreased reliance on medication, leading to enhanced QoL compared to the control group.

CONCLUSION

The study highlights the critical role of early nursing interventions in improving NBD outcomes for SCI patients. Future research should consider multicenter designs to enhance generalizability and focus on chronic NBD management.