[Constipation--established and new diagnostic approaches]

The aim of this paper is to review diagnostic techniques which are useful and applicable in the evaluation of constipation. Besides widely-spread available techniques such as taking a specific and structured history and performing a clinical examination sophisticated diagnostic tools such as colon transit time, anal manometry, defecography endorectal ultrasonography as well as electrophysiological investigations such as anal sphincter electromyography and pudendal nerve terminal motor latency measurement are illustrated.