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Chewing Gum Associated With Enhanced Bowel Recovery After Colon Surgery CHICAGO -- August 18, 2008 -- Chewing gum is associated with enhanced recovery of intestinal function following surgery to remove all or part of the colon, according to an analysis of previously published studies in the August issue of Archives of Surgery. Sanjay Purkayastha, St. Mary's Hospital, London, United Kingdom, and colleagues analysed data from 5 trials published on or before July 2006 and involving a total of 158 patients. In each trial, a group of patients chewed sugarless gum 3 times per day following surgery for a period of 5 to 45 minutes and were compared with patients who did not chew gum. When the trial results were combined, patients who chewed gum took an average of .66 fewer days to pass flatus and an average of 1.10 fewer days to have a bowel movement. "Postoperative length of hospital stay was assessed in 4 trials comprising 134 patients," the authors wrote. "This was also reduced in the chewing gum group by longer than 1 day; however, this result was not statistically significant." According to the authors, gum chewing is thought to act as a kind of "sham feeding," stimulating nerves in the digestive system, triggering the release of gastrointestinal hormones, and increasing the production of saliva and secretions from the pancreas. "In conclusion, we feel that the current evidence suggests that gum chewing following abdominal surgery offers significant benefits in reducing the time to resolution of ileus; however, the studies are insufficiently powered to identify a significant benefit in length of stay," said the authors. SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version