Development of a program aimed at improving the quality of defecation care for the elderly requiring care using ultrasound

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K12237
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Gerontological nursing
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Yabunaka Koichi 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科(医学部), 特任准教授 (00737215)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 仲上 豪二朗 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科(医学部), 准教授 (70547827) ; 駒形 和典 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 看護師 (80735720)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 便秘 / 超音波 / 高齢者

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Constipation presents unpleasant symptoms such as abdominal fullness and abdominal pain, and is found in a high percentage of elderly people in need of care. In this study, we aimed at the establishment of a proper defecation care method using an ultrasound imaging system for elderly people requiring long-term care. As a result, it was possible to evaluate and classify the fecal properties of the feces, soft feces, and normal feces from ultrasound images obtained from three places of the descending colon, sigmoid colon and rectum. Therefore, appropriate defecation care is possible by performing an ultrasound on elderly people who need constipation.

Free Research Field

老年看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

排便困難な要介護高齢者に対して超音波検査を実施することで、大腸内の便性状（硬便、軟便、正常）を評価し分類することが可能であった。よって、要介護高齢者の適切な排便ケア（下剤、浣腸、摘便、坐薬）、便秘日数の短縮、薬剤の減少による排便を行うことが可能であり、社会的意義が大きいと考える。