In the past few years several studies have looked at the role of chewing gum in helping to prevent postoperative ileus. Several of these studies have shown an improvement in gastric motility by chewing gum. In a study by Asao, et al. (2002) the researchers found that flatus occurred significantly sooner in the group that chewed gum as did the first bowel movement resulting in a decrease in length of stay by one hospital day!
Another study by Papaconstantinou (2005) found a similar result. In a third study Shuster, et al. (2006) found decreased time to flatus, bowel movement, feelings of hunger, and shorter length of hospital stay. None of these studies reported any adverse effects to gum chewing; and although chewing gum in postoperative patients seems to be a relatively safe intervention and the evidence is overwhelmingly positive for the improvement in bowel function, all of these studies have come from small samples. Still it appears that gum chewing is a relatively inexpensive and safe intervention that can be used to help prevent operative ileus in your surgical patients.
Please note that gum chewing has not been evaluated in medical patients or patients who have ileus for other reasons. The pathophysiology may not be the same in these patients and therefore gum chewing may not be effective or even harmful. We don't have any data on these populations yet so for the time being consider gum chewing safe and effective only in your postoperative patients.
From: Leier H. (2007) Does gum chewing help prevent impaired gastric motility in the postoperative patient? Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 19(3):133-6.
Best wishes,
David W. Woodruff, MSN, RN-BC, CNS, CEN
President, Ed4Nurses, Inc.