Koh, C.E., Young, C.J., Young, J.M., & Solomon, M.J. (2008). Systematic review of randomized controlled trials of the effectiveness of biofeedback for pelvic floor dysfunction. British Journal of Surgery, 95, 1079–1087.
To determine whether biofeedback improves outcomes for patients with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), and to assess the relative effectiveness of different types of biofeedback therapy.
Databases searched were CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews (EBMR), and the Cochrane Database. References of retrieved articles also were hand searched.
Search keywords were constipation, anismus, dyssynergia, obstructive defecation, rectocele, rectal intussusception, rectal prolapse, and biofeedback.
Studies were included in the review if they
Studies were excluded from the review if they reported on pediatric cases.
The initial searching provided 5,028 references. Study selection and screening for inclusion criteria provided a final set of seven studies. Study quality was evaluated by two reviewers.
Additional, better-designed studies are needed in this area to determine efficacy. Future studies should compare different biofeedback modalities to identify the most effective approaches.