Gum-chewing trials reported earlier return of bowel activity after surgery
Pooled surgical trials reported earlier passage of gas and stool with gum chewing. Unspecified comparator care and varying protocols limit interpretation.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Gum-chewing trial arms had shorter times to first passage of gas and first bowel movement in the surgical groups analyzed. These results describe bowel recovery milestones. The abstract does not detail comparator care or establish that the timing changes produced fewer complications, and the authors identify a need for standardized protocols.
The abstract omits comparator care and confidence intervals for the pooled timing results. The authors also identify variation between studies, limiting assessment of precision and how the results apply to particular surgical protocols.
What researchers found
Reported difference in time to first bowel movement
After general or colorectal surgery: gum-chewing arms versus unspecified trial comparators. The endpoint is elapsed postoperative time; follow-up duration is not reported.
The outcomes tracked bowel recovery
Postoperative ileus is temporarily impaired gut movement after surgery. The pooled results tracked when patients first passed gas or stool. These timing measures do not themselves demonstrate reductions in infections, mortality or other complications.
Surgical settings were analyzed separately
General and colorectal surgery were pooled separately from obstetric and gynecological surgery. Both analyses reported earlier passage of gas and stool, but the abstract does not establish a uniform effect across all operations or protocols.
The original publication
The Effects of Gum Chewing in the Postoperative-Period: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Li C, Nair A, Zhu XM et al.
ANZ J Surg · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40689540
- Record checked
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