Gum chewing: another simple potential method for more rapid improvement of postoperative gastrointestinal function
One article on PainSci cites Yin 2013: Does Fascia Matter?
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
BACKGROUND: Sham feeding has been reported to enhance bowel motility. Here, to promote gastrointestinal function after postoperative ileus, the effect of gum chewing (GC) was evaluated.
METHODS: Literature search including PubMed, Embase, Science Citation Index, SpringerLink, and secondary sources. Fixed-effect and random-effects models were used to measure the pooled estimates. The test of heterogeneity was performed with the Q statistic. Stratified and sensitivity analyses were performed to explore heterogeneity between studies and to assess effects of study quality.
RESULTS: GC was well tolerated in a total of 1,148 cases in this meta-analysis. The pooled weighted mean difference for time to first flatus and bowel movement in GC was found to be -9.21 (95% CI: -12.07 to -6.34; p < 0.01) and -11.42 (95% CI: -16.05 to -6.79; p < 0.01), respectively, compared to standardized postoperative care. The intervention also decreased length of hospitalization by 12.23 h (95% CI: -18.80 to -5.67; p = 0.0003). Subgroup analyses for different abdominal procedures all favored GC.
CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrated that GC was safe and easily tolerated without any complications following abdominal surgery to potentially shorten postoperative ileus.
related content
- “Visceral massage reduces postoperative ileus in a rat model,” Chapelle et al, Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies, 2013.
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