International journal of surgery
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Review Meta Analysis
Gum chewing reduces postoperative ileus? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
An important cause of delayed recovery from intestinal surgery is postoperative ileus. Gum chewing is a form of sham feeding, which could encourage gastrointestinal motility through cephalic-vagal stimulation. ⋯ Chewing sugarless gum following elective intestinal resection is associated with improved outcomes. Insufficient data were available to demonstrate a reduced rate of clinical complications or reduced cost. An adequately powered, methodologically rigorous trial of gum chewing is required to confirm if there are any benefits and if these result in differences in clinical outcomes such as infection.