Abstract
We reviewed scientific clinical papers as well as notes dating from 1980 in order to investigate the adverse effects of glycerine enema. Our study revealed that the authors of these papers were mainly medical doctors rather than nurses. Therefore, the focus of these papers was surgical treatment, and revealed no information about nursing skills in the application of glycerine enema. The adverse effects of glycerine enema were of two types. The first type was renal failure, followed by slight hemolysis and/or hemoglobinuria, and hemorrhage from the anus. The other type showed a severe course, which included retention of the glycerine enema solution in the retroperitoneal space, retroperitonitis and edema, as well as hemorrhage within the anus, fever and/or vomiting. As had been noted previously, the clinical findings varied from slight changes to severe morbidity. Therefore, clinical nurses responsible for performing glycerine enema on a daily basis need to undergo retraining in the technique. Our committee plans to investigate the adverse effects of glycerine enema with the members of this society, and to study the safety of nursing skills.
