[Usefulness of peristalsis, flatulence and evacuation for predicting oral route tolerance in patients subjected to major abdominal surgery].
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate the usefulness of bowel sounds, flatus and bowel movement presence to predict tolerance of oral intake in patients following major abdominal surgery.


BACKGROUND
nutrition is one of the most important factors in the management of postoperative care. The early oral intake has shown to contribute to a faster recovery. Traditionally the beginning of postoperative feeding after major abdominal surgery is delayed until bowel sounds, flatus and/or bowel movement are present although there is no enough medical evidence for their usefulness.


METHODS
We studied 88 patients following major abdominal surgery. We registered the presence of bowel sounds, flatus and bowel movement each 24 hours in the postoperative period. We analized the relationship between the presence of these signs and the ability to tolerate oral intake. Predictive values, sensitivity, specificity and ROC curves were calculated.


RESULTS
results shown that bowel sounds have an acCeptable sensibility but a very low specificity to predict the ability to tolerate oral intake. Unlike bowel sounds, bowel movements shown a low sensibility and a high specificity. Flatus turned out to have and intermediate sensitivity and specificity in the prediction of tolerance of oral feeding.


CONCLUSIONS
in this study any of these signs were shown as a reliable indicator for beginning oral feeding because they have a moderate to low usefulness.
Hernández-Hernández
Betsabé
B
Departamento de Cirugla, Centro Médico ABC, DF México. mdbetsa@yahoo.com.mx
Figueroa-Gallaga
Luis
L
Sánchez-Castrillo
Christian
C
Belmonte-Montes
Carlos
C
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D003672:Defecation; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010528:Peristalsis; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors