Does gum chewing reduce postoperative ileus following open colectomy for left-sided colon and rectal cancer? A prospective randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Postoperative ileus is common after colorectal resection and can prolong hospital stay. Gum chewing, a type of sham feeding, may to stimulate gut motility via cephalic-vagal stimulation, and thereby reduce the length of ileus. This study aimed to determine whether gum chewing in the immediate postoperative period facilitated recovery from ileus following resection for left-sided colorectal cancer.

METHODS

In a prospective randomized control trial, 38 patients undergoing open surgery for left-sided colorectal cancer were allocated to standard postoperative care (control group, n = 19) or to standard postoperative care plus the immediate use of chewing gum (treatment group, n = 19).

RESULT

Control patients passed flatus by mean of 2.7 days (SD 1.0) and faeces by 3.9 days (SD 1.5); for the treatment group, this was 2.4 days (SD 1.0) and 3.2 days (SD 1.5) respectively, (NS, P = 0.56 and P = 0.38). Length of hospital stay was 11.1 days (SD 7.3) in control group and 9.4 days (SD 2.5) in the treatment group (NS, P = 0.75).

CONCLUSION

The addition of gum chewing to a standardized postoperative regimen did not reduce the period of postoperative ileus or shorten length of stay following open surgery for left-sided colorectal cancer.

A simple technique to control iatrogenic solid organ injury haemorrhage

Haemostasis from iatrogenic solid organ injury can be difficult to achieve. We describe the use of oxidized regenerated cellulose (Surgicel) and a Hanna-Belfast suction diathermy device to control minor solid organ haemorrhage

A modified technique using the Yankauer sucker and argon plasma coagulation for anorectal procedures

Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is a useful and effective treatment for some anorectal conditions. We describe a modification of the APC instrumentation that aids the application of APC in such cases.

Vacuum-assisted closure in the management of the open abdomen: a report of a case and initial experiences

In certain surgical patients undergoing laparotomy it may be best to leave the abdomen open as a laparostomy. Care of the resulting wound represents a considerable medical and nursing challenge. This article presents such a case and the authors' initial experience of managing laparostomy wounds with vacuum-assisted closure.

Acute small bowel obstruction due to ileal endometriosis: a case report and literature review

A young women presented with non-resolving acute small bowel obstruction and was found to have a stricture in the distal ileum at laparotomy. Histologically this was due to endometriosis. Resection of the involved segment gave excellent results.

A prospective randomized trial of vagotomy in chronic duodenal ulceration: 4-year follow-up

A total of 153 patients (124 male and 29 female) with uncomplicated chronic duodenal ulceration were studied in a prospective, randomized trial of proximal gastric vagotomy (PGV) and truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty (TVP), conducted in four Manchester hospitals. Of these, 137 patients have now been followed up for 2.5 to 5.5 (mean 4.1) yr. There have been 15 (21 per cent) recurrent ulcers following PGV compared with 5 (7.5 per cent) after TVP (P less than 0.05). A satisfactory functional result was obtained in 82 per cent of patients after TVP compared with 73 per cent following PGV and there was little difference between the groups with regard to the incidence of dumping, heartburn and vomiting. There was significantly more diarrhoea following TVP (13 per cent) compared to PGV (1.4 per cent) but this represented only a minor clinical problem.

Randomized trial of elective highly selective or truncal vagotomy in chronic duodenal ulceration

Between 1973 and 1976, 153 patients (124 men, 29 women) with uncomplicated, chronic, duodenal ulcer were entered into a prospective randomized trial of highly selective vagotomy (HSV) or truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty (TVP). The study was conducted in four Manchester hospitals and the operations were performed by consultants or chief registrars. The follow-up was conducted by personal interview using a standardized questionnaire. The medical gastroenterologist did not know which type of operation the patient had had. The patients who had symptoms were referred back to the surgeon who performed the operation. The clinical laboratory and follow-up data were analysed by computer. There were no operative deaths. Three patients died from unrelated causes, 13 were lost to follow-up; 137 (89.5%) were followed up for a mean of 4.1 years (range from 2.5 to 5.5 years). A modified Visick grading was used to assess the results of surgery. The outcome was good in 82% after TVP and 73% after HSV. This difference and those in the incidences of early or late postprandial dumping, bilious vomiting, weight loss, anemia and heartburn were not significant. Diarrhea was more frequent after TVP (13.4%) than after HSV (1.4%); although the difference was significant (p less than 0.025), this complaint did not present a serious clinical problem. Ulcers recurred in 15 (21.4%) patients following HSV and in 5 (7.5%) after TVP; this difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.05).

Effective of highly selective vagotomy upon the lower oesophageal sphincter

Recently highly selective vagotomy has been suggested as both a cause of gastro-oesophageal reflux and a potential cure. This study was designed to investigate whether this operation produced any change in the resting pressure or the length of the lower oesophageal sphincter in patients undergoing highly selective vagotomy. A group of patients undergoing truncal vagotomy and drainage were also studied for comparison. No alteration in the resting pressure or length of the lower oesophageal sphincter was noted after either operation. It is therefore unlikely that interference with the sphincter is responsible for post-vagotomy reflux.

Campylobacter enteritis presenting as an acute abdomen

A case is reported of a young patient with Campylobacter enteritis who underwent first appendicectomy and then a laparotomy because of the severity of the pain and the marked abdominal signs.

Assessment of the rapid pullthrough technique in oesophageal manometry

The lower oesophageal sphincter pressure was measured by infusion manometry using the rapid pullthrough technique in two studies designed to evaluate this technique. The first study performed was an assessment of its reproducibility in individual subjects on separate occasions. We conclude that the rapid pullthrough technique does not give reproducible results. The second study compared the lower oesophageal sphincter pressure obtained by this technique with that by the standard station pullthrough technique. We conclude that the results are not comparable.

Spread of steroid-containing foam after intrarectal administration

The spread of a steroid-containing foam from the rectum was studied in eight normal controls and eight patients with ulcerative colitis proved by biopsy. A standard dose of foam was labelled with technetium-99m adsorbed on to microspheres of Amberlite resin. Immediately after the foam was administered the extent of spread varied considerably, though in no instance did it extend beyond the rectosigmoid. Further scans at 120 and 240 minutes showed no further spread. It is concluded that a steroid-containing foam has a topical effect only on the rectal mucosa.

Carcinoid tumour as a complication of ulcerative colitis

Patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis have an increased chance of developing a carcinoma of the colon, especially when the inflammatory process involves the entire colon, but no case of a carcinoid tumour of the colon occurring in a patient with ulcerative colitis has been reported.

Isolated perforation of the gall bladder following blunt abdominal trauma

Isolated perforation of the gall bladder as a consequence of blunt abdominal injury is rare. A single case is described which illustrates several features which may characterize this lesion.

The reproducibility of the station pullthrough technique for measuring lower oesophageal sphincter pressure

The results are presented of two studies of the station pullthrough technique for lower oesophageal manometry. The first part of the work is an assessment of the reproducibility of this technique using both an infused tube system and a system of subminiature, intraluminal strain gauge transducers. The second part of this report describes a study into the effect that the position of the recording hole on the probe may have in relation to the measured pressure for the lower oesophageal sphincter.