A Consideration of Shukuben (Feces Stagnation in the Digestive Tract)

VernacularTitle:宿便についての一考察
Author: Katsutoshi TERASAWA ; Hiroyori TOSA ; Yoshiro HIRASAKI ; Toru KOBAYASHI ; Atsushi CHINO
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: shukuben shukushoku contrast examination of upper gastrointestinal system; keishikashakuyakudaioto
From:Kampo Medicine 2014;65(4):309-312
CountryJapan
Language:Japanese
Abstract: It has been thought that the term “shukuben” does not mean a simple constipation but rather that a substance is stagnating in the digestive tract despite ordinary defecation. However, there has been no concrete evidence for this shukuben definition.
The authors have obtained evidence for what may be one type of shukuben, by means of X-ray photography after an upper digestive tract examination using a barium sulfate contrast medium, in a patient with irritable bowel syndrome. The X-rays showed the contrast medium adhering to the colon wall three days post-examination despite subsequent diarrhea, suggesting one type of shukuben. In this paper, the authors also reported the result of a historical search for the term shukuben in the past medical textbooks, which revealed that the first description of this term is found in hougizashi and was described by Yodo Odai. We also considered that this term is a derivation of shukushoku meaning a stagnation of digestive tract contents.