ABSTRACT
Patients requiring intensive care often experience extended periods of immobility because of their primary diagnosis and, frequently, because of the presence of multiple comorbidities. It is not infrequent for them to experience dysfunction of the gastrointestinal and urological tract during their prolonged stay, either as part of their original diagnosis or as a complication during their recuperative phase. This dysfunction is aggravated by periods of inadequate fluid intake, by reduced nutritional support, or by any changes to the intestinal flora, all of which may influence the patient’s ability to regulate bowel and bladder function. The situation is further complicated by polypharmacy, including medications that may adversely influence bowel and bladder motility (1).
