Does Coffee Intake Reduce Postoperative Ileus After Laparoscopic Elective Colorectal Surgery? A Prospective,...

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Recovery
• Clinical Nutrition

Background:

• Postoperative ileus is a common complication following colorectal surgery.
• It significantly increases hospital stay duration and healthcare costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of regular coffee consumption on postoperative bowel activity.
• To assess coffee's efficacy in accelerating bowel movement recovery after laparoscopic colorectal resection.

Main Methods:

• A prospective randomized controlled trial involving 115 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal resection.
• Patients were assigned to consume either coffee or tea postoperatively until discharge.
• Primary endpoint was time to first bowel movement; secondary endpoints included laxative use and hospital stay duration.

Main Results:

• Patients consuming coffee experienced their first bowel movement significantly earlier (median 65.2 hours vs. 74.1 hours, p=0.008).
• Coffee intake was associated with a 1.67 times higher hazard ratio for earlier bowel movement (p=0.009).
• The coffee group had a shorter hospital stay (6 days vs. 7 days, p=0.043).

Conclusions:

• Coffee intake is a simple and effective method to promote faster bowel function recovery after colorectal surgery.
• This intervention may serve as a strategy to prevent postoperative ileus and reduce hospital stays.