title: Gum chewing enhances early recovery of bowel function following transperitoneal abdominal aortic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postoperative bowel dysfunction is still a major unsolved problem following transperitoneal abdominal aortic surgery. We conducted this study to establish if gum chewing during the postoperative period promotes recovery of bowel function following abdominal aortic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects were 44 patients who underwent elective abdominal aortic surgery. The patients were allocated to a control group (n = 21), who received standard postoperative care, or a "gum group" (n = 23), who received standard postoperative care and were also given gum to chew three times a day from postoperative day (POD) 0-5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient characteristics, intraoperative, and postoperative care were equivalent in both groups. Flatus was passed on POD 1.49 in the gum group and on POD 2.35 in the control group (P = .0004) and the time to oral intake was 3.09 days in the gum group and 3.86 days in the control group (P = .023). The number of days to full mobilization in the hospital room was 3.35 versus 5.59 for the gum and control groups, respectively (P < .0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gum chewing enhances early recovery of bowel function following transperitoneal abdominal aortic surgery. Moreover, it is a physiologically sound, safe, and an inexpensive part of the postoperative care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Kurume University, 67 Asahimachi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan. takagi13@me.com
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Teshima
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Arinaga
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Hidetsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kashikie
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D002638:Chewing Gum; D004434:Early Ambulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D045823:Ileus / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D058017:Vascular Grafting / Q000534:rehabilitation*
chemical_list: D002638:Chewing Gum