title: Pharmacological management of postoperative ileus.
abstract: The duration of postoperative ileus following abdominal surgery is quite variable, and prolonged postoperative ileus is an iatrogenic phenomenon with important influence on patient morbidity, hospital costs and length of stay in hospital. Adequate treatment for prolonged postoperative ileus is important to improve patient morbidity and clinical efficiency. Both clinical and pharmacological management strategies have improved rapidly over the last decade, and appropriate and timely management using multimodal techniques should be used for optimal care. In this review, we define postoperative ileus, describe the pathogenesis and briefly discuss clinical management before detailing potential pharmacologic management options.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-5047, USA.
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zeinali
authors.forename: Jonah J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Stulberg
authors.forename: Conor P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Delaney
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001726:Bisacodyl / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002400:Cathartics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020117:Cisapride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004087:Dihydroergotamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D045823:Ileus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010277:Parasympathomimetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010880:Piperidines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011433:Propranolol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002400:Cathartics; D010277:Parasympathomimetics; D010880:Piperidines; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; C032257:methylnaltrexone; D001726:Bisacodyl; D009388:Neostigmine; D004087:Dihydroergotamine; D009271:Naltrexone; C419502:alvimopan; D011433:Propranolol; D020117:Cisapride