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Chewing
Gum Speeds Surgery Recovery
New research has given doctors and their patients something
to chew on: Patients who use chewing gum have shorter
hospital stays after laparoscopic colon surgery than those
who don't.
In laparascopic surgery, surgeons use video-equipped
tools inserted through a tiny incision to operate in a
specific area.
"We know that patients who undergo laparoscopic surgery
have a faster recovery and less pain than with traditional
techniques. We wanted to see if we could do even better.
People today want to get home as soon as possible, back
to their lives and families," Dr. James McCormick, a laparoscopic
surgeon at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh
and a lead investigator in this study, explained in a
prepared statement.
"Something as simple as chewing gum can help make that
a reality," he said.
In the study, 102 patients undergoing elective colon
resection surgery were divided into two groups. Those
in the control group received the standard fare after
abdominal surgery -- sips of clear liquid. The patients
in the study group were also given gum to chew at mealtimes.
Patients who chewed gum went home, on average, one day
sooner than those who didn't receive gum, the researchers
found.
The study authors said chewing gum after surgery can
prevent or reduce postoperative ileus, a condition where
the digestive system remains inactive for a period of
time following surgery. Ileus is a major cause of postoperative
problems and prolonged hospital stays, and costs up to
$1 billion a year in the United States, the researchers
said.
"There are a few scientific theories which attempt to
explain why this approach works. Most prevalent is the
concept of 'sham feeding,' " McCormick said.
"It is normal to sit down at meal time and chew and swallow
for 15 minutes," he explained. "Gum chewing stimulates
that activity nicely. The sooner the body thinks it is
normal, the sooner it will act normally. And the sooner
you get to go home."
The study was presented this week at the annual meeting
of the American College of Surgeons, in San Francisco.
