Implementation of the Biofeedback Clinic at the University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho- Federal University of Rio DE Janeiro (UFRJ)

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BIOFEEDBACK CLINIC AT THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL CLEMENTINO FRAGA FILHO- FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF RIO DE JANEIRO

The term Biofeedback has been widely used in numerous publications for the treatment of anal incontinence (AI). Among all the changes in bowel habits, the Anal incontinence (AI) represents perhaps the greatest challenge for those who experience this reality and for professionals who try to find a solution to this problem. The AI is still a great impact on the quality of life of patients, affecting their self-esteem and causing them, many times, to social isolation and restrictions on work activities. Here, we present the project of the implementation of the Biofeedback Clinic at the University Hospital Clementino Fraga Filho, from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). This hospital is a tertiary care unit, in which  we may predominantly  find patients with cancer, inflammatory diseases and other disorders of the pelvic floor. The Biofeedback Clinic develops a plan of care according to the model of Anorectal Physiology Unit, from the St Mark's Hospital. This systematic and individualized plan involves several elements of nursing care, being done by a nurse, and assists stoma patients referred by medical professionals, adults and children from other clinics such as proctology, urology, pediatric surgery, gastroenterology, internal medicine, geriatrics, among others, as well as from other hospitals. Patients are treated with complaints of AI and evaluated through various instruments such as the Wexner Score, which evaluates the degree of AI, manometric evaluation, and quality of life using the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life, translated and validated to Portuguese. This program aims to strengthen the pelvic floor exercise through sessions of biofeedback and / or digital gauge, hygienic-dietetic measures and guidelines on behavioral changes. Conclusion: Since the establishment of that Clinic, in August of 2007, we attended 106 patients among adults and children with diverse results concerning the resolution of the problems cited.

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