Diseases of the colon and rectum
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Prokinetic effect of erythromycin after colorectal surgery: randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
Nausea and vomiting three to seven days after an elective operation on the colon and rectum remain a persistent clinical problem. Erythromycin, a safe, inexpensive drug that stimulates intestinal motilin receptors, has previously been shown to accelerate gastric emptying significantly after upper gastrointestinal surgery. We aimed to evaluate the effect of postoperative intravenous erythromycin on postoperative ileus in patients undergoing elective surgery for primary colorectal cancer. ⋯ Erythromycin does not seem to alter clinically important outcomes related to postoperative ileus in patients undergoing resection for colorectal cancer.