Faecal impaction in the elderly
Dr Leila Abouzekry came from Egypt and was working in a geriatric hospital in Doncaster. She wanted to carry out a research project in her patients. I admit to some feelings of guilt in suggesting she study the physiology of faecal impaction, but nobody had done it before. Her results indicated a blunting of both rectal and perianal sensation and an inhibition of spinal reflexes, suggesting a neurological cause.
- Read, N.W., Abouzekry, L., Read, M.G., Howell, P. and Ottewell, D. (1985) Anorectal function in elderly patients with faecal impaction. Gastroenterology 89: 959-966.
- Read, N.W. and Abouzekry, L. (1986) Why do patients with faecal impaction have faecal incontinence. Gut 27: 283-287.
- Bannister, J.J., Abouzekry, L.A., Read, N.W. (1987). The effect of ageing on anorectal function. Gut 28: 353-357.
- Read, N.W. (1992) Colonic disease in the elderly. In: Textbook of Geriatric Medicine. Professor Grimley Evans, 816, pp.236-241.
