Chew on this: reducing postoperative ileus with chewing gum

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Recovery
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Postoperative ileus (POI) is a frequent complication following abdominal surgery, contributing to extended hospital stays and increased healthcare expenses.
• Historically, bowel rest and delayed oral intake were standard practices for managing POI.
• Emerging research highlights the potential benefits of chewing gum in mitigating POI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the evidence on the efficacy of postoperative gum chewing in managing patients who have undergone abdominal surgery.
• To evaluate the impact of gum chewing on key recovery markers such as time to flatus, bowel movement, and length of hospital stay.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted for studies published between 2006 and 2013 using terms related to ileus and gum chewing.
• Included were prospective randomized controlled trials involving adult patients undergoing abdominal surgery (excluding cesarean sections), comparing gum chewing to a control group.
• Outcome measures were required for inclusion in the meta-analysis.

Main Results:

• Seven relevant studies were identified and analyzed.
• Patients in the gum-chewing groups consistently experienced earlier passage of flatus and bowel movements compared to control groups.
• The majority of studies indicated a shorter length of hospital stay for patients who chewed gum postoperatively.

Conclusions:

• Postoperative gum chewing is associated with reduced incidence of POI, expedited bowel function recovery, and decreased hospital length of stay.
• Patients who chewed gum reported higher satisfaction levels.
• Gum chewing is recommended as an effective adjunctive therapy to reduce postoperative ileus.