Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS)
This is not a substitute for direct care by YOUR doctor. Confirm with your doctor before doing any of the following.
What is LARS?
- LARS is a group of symptoms that can happen in as many as 50% of patients who have had part or all of their rectum removed. The rectum stores stool before a bowel movement. With the rectum removed, or partially removed, the storage capacity for stool prior to a bowel movement is changed.
- Radiation treatment can greatly affect LARS
- Symptoms can include: frequency of bowel movements, urgency of bowel movements, clustering of bowel movements (many bowel movements over a few hours), incontinence, constipation, having trouble telling the difference between a bowel movement and passing gas, rectal pain
Treatment
- Nutritional Changes: add fiber and water, decrease caffeine and alcohol consumption
- Medication
- Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
- Home enemas or "clean outs" such as with a Peristeen device
- Surgery