Comparison of methods to facilitate postoperative bowel function.
Improving postoperative return of bowel function after abdominal surgery is an important nursing and medical goal. One promising intervention to achieve this goal is to have patients chew gum several times per day in the early postoperative period to stimulate the cephalic-vagal reflex and bowel peristalsis. A study to determine if return of gastrointestinal function after abdominal surgery could be hastened by the simple intervention of chewing gum or sucking on hard candy three times per day is described.
Crainic
Christina
C
Surgical Unit, Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA.
Erickson
Kathie
K
Gardner
Janet
J
Haberman
Sheri
S
Patten
Pam
P
Thomas
Pat
P
Hays
Victoria
V
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002182:Candy; D002638:Chewing Gum; D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003672:Defecation; D005260:Female; D005414:Flatulence; D006801:Humans; D007418:Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015205:Northwestern United States; D010528:Peristalsis; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function
D002638:Chewing Gum