In the hospital, today, is the enema still used?

In the hospital today it is still customary to practice an enema before an operation, or in case of need, do we use the classic enema, or the prepared one? .. But then, the real question is: have any of you been to the hospital recently and had an enema? .. if so, for what?

I had two operations, the last one about ten years ago. The operations were relatively simple. Each time I had to do an enema. The first time I had an enema done in the hospital. This is because they were preparing me for the operation there. The enema was done in a special room, where my groin had to be shaved. There was a young nurse who prepared everything and helped with the procedure. For such cases, they use the classic side position. I was allowed to insert the nozzle into my ass myself.

The second time I prepared for the operation at home. So in the evening there were two bags of enema. In the morning at the hospital they asked me about the enema, and checked how I shaved my groin.

Last week my wife had an operation on her leg. There was no enema. They asked her not to eat since the evening.

In your first operation, did you know that they would have to give you an enema?

@Tommy44 as you asked the question, do you have any experience with an enema given in a hospital? Are you going to possibly experience or wondering about one in a future hospital visit?

It is nice to give your experience before digging deeply into others experiences for specific details. Otherwise it may look like you are looking for "stories" for your own personal enjoyment.

Rarely.

One was suggested to me prior to a surgery about 12 years ago (I did it at home), and a family member received one when he went in for abdominal pain that turned out to be constipation. There are also several journal articles on their use, primarily in pediatric patients, for constipation. In the US they are used when necessary but generally avoided because they're time consuming and generally the patients don't jump with joy at the thought.

During my first surgery I didn't know I was going to have an enema, but I was prepared for it because I knew they used it in hospitals.

My wife got a bag when they gave birth. They probably don't do that anymore.

After spinal surgery had few fleet type as pain meds blocking things up new

needed to go but couldn't with out help

I apologize if I didn't describe my experience .. I've never been hospitalized, but when I was a teenager I got several enemas from my mom. I read that in the past in the hospital deaf enemas were used, and I was wondering how many were used even today, and I understand that today it is better to be done at home than to have them done in the hospital before surgery

@Al200 -If you could go back in time to your first operation, would you do the enema at home alone, or would you do it again in the hospital?

I was in the hospital a few months ago, and I seriously didn't want to become constipated but I did. It was a couple of days before I was let out of bed and that wasn't until after I was moved from the ICU. No one even seemed too concerned about wether or not I had had a bowel movement. I wasn't asked, but while arguing that I was well enough to get out of bed I told them that I wanted to get up to use the toilet for a bowel movement, plus I was having a hard time using the urinal. The nurse then offered to bring around a bed pan or a comode for me. Believe it or not, that idea didn't appeal to me at all at that time.

When I finally got moved to a room with a toilet I had difficulty there too. I had been cathed and was still quite sore from that and also having trouble peeing. Pushing/putting pressure trying to do a bowel movement was hurting me in the penis more than anywhere else. I sat on the toilet numerous times that day.

I told a nurse that I hadn't had a bowel movement since being in the hospital and that I didn't remember when my last one had been. They gave me a drink at breakfast a couple of mornings that didn't really help. I managed one small stool the first morning which I reported and didn't flush. I sat on the toilet a few more times tthroughout the day, producing nothing. The next morning some early morning gas after the drink and breakfast, no BM.

I reported this to a nurse, and she said there could be a couple of other options that "you probably wouldn't like." I told her I wasn't liking the state I was in either. She suggested a suppository, which I accepted. It was uneventful, which I expected. About 20 minutes later I was on the toilet and produced a huge and healthy looking BM, much to my relief. I didn't flush and reported the BM to the nurse when she came by later. She took a look and flushed it and asked how long had it been since my last BM and I told her it had been before being admitted. She apologised for the hospital and staff for my having to have had to wait for so long. I had two more smaller BMs after that one that day that I reported, but also flushed.

Perhaps if the suppository hadn't worked before getting sent home, I would had got a Fleet enema. I honestly wasn't angling for it though.

@edwasss - Maybe in the past they would have given you an enema right away, but from what you tell me, today they tend not to do it, if not as a last alternative. If even with the suppository you hadn't done anything, would you have insisted yourself for an enema?

@Tommy44 - I was out of the hospital within the next couple of days after I had the supository aided BMs. I was able to have a normal one the next day too, after the drink and breakfast.

I don't know for sure if I would had asked for an enema if the suppository hadn't worked, but if it had been suggested I probably would had accepted. Several days without a BM and I pretty much can't go without some kind of help. I enjoyed a nice big bag enema shortly after I got home.. Felt like I needed and deserved it.

This was my first hospital stay and what surprised me was that I believe if I hadn't had said anything no one would had even realized that I hadn't had a bowel movement since being admitted, and for a few days. I was there after having a stroke.

@Tommy44 -

That was quite a while ago. If there had been a command to do an enema at home, I would have done it without any problems. But the operation was only performed the next day after I arrived at the hospital. So an enema at home made no sense.

During my first surgery I didn't know I was going to have an enema, but I was prepared for it because I knew they used it in hospitals.

My wife got a bag when they gave birth. They probably don't do that anymore.

I had to have my foot put back together in junior high (early '90s). For some reason I had heard of "hospital enemas" and was worried that I was gonna get one. At the time I was relieved I didn't, but now in retrospect... 🤔

Was glad and still am that I only had to spend one night. Hospitals are not fun.

I am a nurse and I work in a hospital. The answer is yes; in the hospital they do enemas. Three types of enemas: 1 - classic disposable without a probe (quick enema when the feces are in the ampoule) 2 - with the probe and the pipette (very high feces) 3 - with the probe, the bag and the infusion set (rare, long-lasting enemas - very high feces, cases of intestinal subocclusion)

In some cases (it is almost no longer used) there are also glycerin suppositories. In addition, there is the possibility of administering a purgative to the patient by mouth (in Italy it is called "Movicol, it is a powder that is diluted in water). When a colonoscopy is to be done, the "transit" is done with some particular drugs combined with the diet that free part of the intestine to facilitate the examination.

I had two surgeries in 2023. The second one was over 8 hours. After a couple days I was very constipated. When my surgin came in I mentioned that I was very uncomfortable. He said if you don't mind, I'll order an enema. I said that's fine l, that's what I would do if I were home. Unfortanatly that got changed to a suppository that didn't work. Then a few hours later, milk of magnesia that did work, with a lot of pushing that I dolidnt really need at the time.

@Stump - It would therefore have been better if they had done an enema directly .. sometimes I have the impression that nowadays you don't want to practice the enema because it is still more laborious than a suppository or some other laxative drug

It certainly is I was in the hospital recently and a nurse came into my room carrying a 2500 ml bag full and said I'm getting a sigmoidoscopy so that was the reason for the enema

About 20 years ago I got a barium enema at this hospital. Before they did that test a radiologic technologist came over to me and told me to follow her she was carrying a big enema bag full took me into a little room and gave me the enema it had clear water in it to make sure I was cleaned out

I was in the hospital for gallbladder removal surgery and I wasn't given an enema or any other laxatives while I was there. Only the catheter had been inserted when I was under anesthesia

I had open heart surgery last October and received two soapy enemas from a disposable bag. The doctor ordered a fleet and I asked him to change the order which he did, and to order another the evening before sugery. I did not want to be constipated before surgery or after. I had the 2nd one a few days after surgery. My dad had surgery in 2018 and was constipated before the surgery and all they did was give him Miralax. Then two days after the surgery, they started giving him regular food, although he had not had a BM. Three days later he aspirated, went into cardiac arrest, and "cooked his brain". Two days later, we shut off the life support machines. I did not sue but should have but that is a long story I prefer not to go into.

My grandmothfer was a nurse. In the dark ages cataract (eye surgery) patients were kept in bed 5 days with sand bags on the heads to avoid pressure on the eyeballs resulting in eye fluids leakin out of the incision. In the 30's 40's sutures were poor. To avoid constipation and straining at the BM all patients were given an enema the night before surgery to evacuate.

The first time I had to go for a barium enema, the technologist did the scout x-ray and determined my prep wasn't quite adequate enough. She gave me the option of postponing the BE until the next day as long as I continued taking the laxative prep, or have a nurse give me a cleansing enema right then and get the BE over with. Considering I was going to get a tube stuck up my butt anyway for the BE, I chose the cleansing enema. A CNA took me down the hall to an empty patient room. She had me lie on my left side and inserted a finger width silicone tube for what felt like a mile. She stuck it really far, maybe to get the solution in the part of my rectum where fecal matter was left from the laxative prep?? I was mostly empty and that allowed me to hold most of the 3qt bag of saline solution. After I pooped it all out, she took me back to radiology and the scout x-ray passed me for the BE. That was an even more uncomfortable and embarrassing experience. Much bigger tube in my butt, with a balloon on the end. My gown didn't keep me covered too well and women were there doing the procedure.

I was recently hospitalized and as @bratwurst explained before surgery and prolonged bed time laxatives and/or enemas were given.

Nope never had one during all the surgery I have had over the years

I was in the hospital for a month last year end of April till mid May ,they gave me absolutely ridiculous amounts oral and rectal stool softeners and laxatives with no results ,then after 10 days the nurses said your going to explode or take a sh!t today we don’t care which and started filling me up with large bag enemas after the 4 th bag went in a short time later I destroyed the bed . Nurses will do whatever you need done ( it also helps it was nurses who love me as in they wiped my ass 20 years ago ,when I first got sick and were absolutely over joyed at getting me again 20 years later ) so I have gotten about 15 separate large bag enema series over the last year administered by nurses in the hospital .

I had five last week in preparation for a colonoscopy prep. I require a special prep due to spinal cord injury and diabetes. It was an overall terrible experience.

I can honestly assure you that they still use enemas in USA hospitals.