title: Does gum chewing reduce postoperative ileus following open colectomy for left-sided colon and rectal cancer? A prospective randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postoperative ileus is common after colorectal resection and can prolong hospital stay. Gum chewing, a type of sham feeding, may to stimulate gut motility via cephalic-vagal stimulation, and thereby reduce the length of ileus. This study aimed to determine whether gum chewing in the immediate postoperative period facilitated recovery from ileus following resection for left-sided colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective randomized control trial, 38 patients undergoing open surgery for left-sided colorectal cancer were allocated to standard postoperative care (control group, n = 19) or to standard postoperative care plus the immediate use of chewing gum (treatment group, n = 19).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Control patients passed flatus by mean of 2.7 days (SD 1.0) and faeces by 3.9 days (SD 1.5); for the treatment group, this was 2.4 days (SD 1.0) and 3.2 days (SD 1.5) respectively, (NS, P = 0.56 and P = 0.38). Length of hospital stay was 11.1 days (SD 7.3) in control group and 9.4 days (SD 2.5) in the treatment group (NS, P = 0.75).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The addition of gum chewing to a standardized postoperative regimen did not reduce the period of postoperative ileus or shorten length of stay following open surgery for left-sided colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal and General Surgery, Glan Clwyd Hospital, Rhyl, UK.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Quah
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samad
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Neathey
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maw
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002638:Chewing Gum; D003082:Colectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D045823:Ileus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002638:Chewing Gum