Randomized clinical trial of chewing gum after laparoscopic colorectal resection.

BACKGROUND: Chewing gum may enhance intestinal motility after surgery. This trial studied whether chewing gum could lead to a further reduction in ileus in patients who had a laparoscopic colorectal resection and followed an enhanced recovery programme.

METHODS: Patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal resection were randomized to a control or intervention group. Patients in the control group received a standardized recovery programme. Patients in the intervention group were, in addition, given chewing gum three times daily from day 1 until discharge. Primary outcome measures were time to first flatus and first bowel motion. Time to feeling hungry and hospital stay were secondary outcome measures.

RESULTS: Forty-one patients were randomized into each group. Thirty-seven patients underwent rectal resection and 45 had a colonic resection. Time to passage of flatus was shorter (18 versus 34 h; P = 0·007), first bowel motion occurred earlier (19 versus 44 h; P = 0·001) and time to feeling hungry was earlier (16 versus 25 h; P = 0·001) in the intervention group. There was no difference in the duration of hospital stay (5 days in the intervention group versus 5·5 days in the control group). Subgroup analyses revealed that the benefits of chewing gum were clearer in patients who had a colonic resection, with a shorter time to first flatus (20 versus 35 h; P = 0·043), first bowel motion (19 versus 53 h; P = 0·014) and feeling hungry (14 versus 40 h; P = 0·001). No adverse events were attributed to chewing gum.

CONCLUSION: Chewing gum is a simple intervention that speeds intestinal transit in patients managed with a recovery programme after laparoscopic colorectal resection.

REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02419586 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/).