All the patients screened for the study were dependent on osmotic laxatives (macrogol, milk of magnesia, lactulose), paraffin oil, glycerol or stimulant laxatives (antranoids, diphenylmethanes) given orally or rectally. The osmotic laxatives were taken on a daily base while the stimulant laxatives were restricted to 2, eventually 3 intakes per week. And although these laxatives, all or not combined promoted defaecation in the majority of patients, these regimens did not provide relief of constipation symptoms in none of the patients. Furthermore, many patients reported that the effect of the laxatives declined over time, that the intake of even stimulant laxatives was not consistently followed by rectal evacuation or that the intake of even stimulant laxatives was not consistently followed by rectal evacuation of that the dose and frequency of intake of laxatives had to be limited because of intolerable side effects including vomiting and abdominal cramps.