The Effectiveness of a Senokot Cocktail for Postoperative Constipation

A senior staff registered nurse on an orthopaedic inpatient rehabilitation unit in an urban orthopaedic hospital utilized a "cocktail" of warm prune juice, lemon juice, and Senokot liquid for patients who presented to the rehabilitation unit after orthopaedic surgery without having had an initial postoperative bowel movement (BM). A pilot study (n = 30) using a quasi-experimental design was conducted to evaluate the effect of the cocktail versus liquid Senokot alone on the first postoperative BM. Several measurement tools were used, including the Bristol Stool Scale, visual analog scales to determine pain and strain, and a BM quality scale. A small sample size became even smaller when only 80% of participants had a BM within the study time frame. Therefore, significant findings were difficult to establish. Additional research is needed to adequately assess the effect of the Senokot "cocktail" on postoperative constipation in the rehabilitation population.