Role of Chewing Gum in Reducing Post-Operative Ileus and Enhancing Recovery Following Colorectal Surgery – A Study at CMH Lahore

Objectives: To determine impact of chewing gum in immediate postoperative period on the outcomes of colorectal surgery. Study Design: Comparative cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Lahore from February 07, 2025 to May 07, 2025. Methodology: In this study, 62 patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery were included. They were divided into Group-G (advised to chew gum in addition to standard post-operative care) and Group-S (managed through standard post-operative care). Patients in both the groups were assessed for outcomes including duration to recover from physiologic postoperative ileus and the occurrence of pathologic postoperative ileus and their comparison was performed between groups. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.00. Results: In this study, 62 patients divided into two groups were included. Median age was 68.00 (7.00) years. There were 33 (53.20%) male and 29 (46.80%) female patients. In Group-G, median duration to pass first postoperative flatus was 37.00 (5.00) hours while in Group-S it was 58.00 (19.00) hours, (p < 0.001). In Group-G, median duration to pass first postoperative feces was 58.00 (5.00) hours while in Group-S it was 78.00 (5.00) hours, (p < 0.001). In Group-G (n = 31), pathological postoperative ileus occurred only in 1 (3.23%) patient while in Group-S (n = 31), it occurred in 8 (25.81%) patients, (p = 0.012). Conclusion: Addition of gum chewing to standard postoperative care after colorectal surgery can effectively reduce postoperative ileus rate and recovery time.