title: Reevaluating resumption of oral intake after abdominoplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditional postoperative management of patients undergoing abdominoplasty has involved withholding food until patients demonstrate evidence of bowel activity. No literature exists to support this practice, however, and with the expanding trend toward ambulatory abdominoplasty, early feeding may obviate, at least partially, the need for postoperative hospital admission for intravenous hydration, thereby allowing for faster discharge.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to investigate whether early feeding of patients contributed to an increased incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), as well as impacted the return of bowel sounds or the usage of antiemetic medications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital records of the authors' patients who underwent full abdominoplasty with adjunctive suction-assisted lipoplasty were examined. The senior author (A.M.) held patients nil per os (NPO) until bowel sounds were auscultated (group I), whereas the other authors (S.S.J., M.J.O.) began a regimen of feeding immediately after surgery (group II).
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in age, gender, or body mass index were present. Operative time was significantly shorter in group I. The incidence of PONV, use of antiemetic medications, and presence of audible bowel sounds on postoperative day 1 did not vary significantly between groups. None of the patients with inaudible bowel sounds in either group experienced PONV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early feeding after abdominoplasty did not lead to an increased incidence of PONV, increased use of antiemetic medications, or delayed return of bowel sounds. In routine abdominoplasties, early feeding may permit patients to sustain adequate hydration and possibly allow for earlier discharge.
authors.affiliation: Scott and White Clinic, The Cosmetic Surgery Center, 1600 University Drive East, College Station, TX 77840, USA.
authors.forename: Sameer S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Jejurikar
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Orseck
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matarasso