Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract
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J. Gastrointest. Surg. · Apr 2009
Review Meta AnalysisIs gum chewing useful for ileus after elective colorectal surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.
The evaluation of the usefulness of gum chewing for postoperative ileus has given inconclusive results. We evaluated the efficacy of gum chewing in the treatment of ileus after elective colorectal surgery. ⋯ In patients with ileus after colonic surgery, gum chewing in addition to standard treatment significantly reduces the time to first flatus and the time to first passage of feces when compared to standard treatment alone. There is also a trend to reduce the length of hospital stay. Gum chewing should be added to the standard treatment of these patients.