title: Xylitol Gum Chewing to Achieve Early Postoperative Restoration of Bowel Motility After Laparoscopic Surgery.
abstract: Our objective was to evaluate the effects of postoperative xylitol gum chewing on gastrointestinal functional recovery after laparoscopy. Altogether, 120 patients undergoing elective gynecologic laparoscopy were randomly divided into 2 groups of 60 each (final numbers: 53 controls, 56 patients). Controls underwent a routine postoperative regimen. Starting 6 hour after surgery, study patients chewed mint-flavored, sugarless xylitol gum until flatus occurred thrice a day. Other postoperative management was routine. First bowel sounds, first flatus, first bowel movement, and discharge times were recorded. Symptoms included abdominal distension, nausea, and vomiting. First flatus and first bowel sounds occurred significantly (P<0.001) earlier in the study patients. No significant differences were found for first defecation time, hospitalization duration, or mild/severe intestinal obstruction (all P>0.05). Thus, xylitol gum chewing after laparoscopy can effectively shorten the time to first flatus and helps with postoperative gastrointestinal functional recovery. It is simple, convenient, and well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital †West China Clinical Medical College, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China ‡Department of Medical Epidemiology & Biostatistics Karolinska Institute, Sweden.
authors.forename: Yunhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Qianwen
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Donghao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Jiaying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.forename: Hongqin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Junming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002638:Chewing Gum; D003672:Defecation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000601:surgery; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D045823:Ileus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014993:Xylitol / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002638:Chewing Gum; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D014993:Xylitol