title: Constipation Risk in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Problems regarding bowel elimination are quite common in patients undergoing abdominal surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine constipation risk before the surgery, bowel elimination during postoperative period, and the factors affecting bowel elimination.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study. It was conducted in a general surgery ward of a university hospital in Zonguldak, Turkey between January 2013 and May 2013. A total of 107 patients were included in the study, who were selected by convenience sampling. Constipation Risk Assessment Scale (CRAS), patient information form, medical and nursing records were used in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was found to be 55.97 ± 15.74 (year). Most of the patients have undergone colon (37.4%) and stomach surgeries (21.5%). Open surgical intervention (83.2%) was performed on almost all patients (96.3%) under general anesthesia. Patients were at moderate risk for constipation with average scores of 11.71 before the surgery. A total of 77 patients (72%) did not have bowel elimination problem during postoperative period. The type of the surgery (P < 0.05), starting time for oral feeding after the surgery (P < 0.05), and mobilization (P < 0.05) were effective on postoperative bowel elimination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a risk for constipation after abdominal surgery. Postoperative practices are effective on the risk of constipation.
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak Health School, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak Health School, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurdan Yalcin
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Atar
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak Health School, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nilgun
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak Health School, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Guler
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak Health School, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Figen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kuytak
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak Health School, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bakar
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak Health School, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Duygu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dalgiran
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, Bulent Ecevit University, Zonguldak Health School, Zonguldak, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sumeyra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ergin
keywords: Abdomen; Constipation; Nurses; Patients; Surgery, Risk Factors