Objective To assess the efficacy and safety of chewing gum in promoting bowel recovery after cesarean section. Methods Such databases as The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMbase and CBM were searched from their establishment to 2010 to include the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of comparing chewing gum with other procedures for promoting postoperative bowel function after cesarean section. The risks of bias in the included studies were evaluated at randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, completeness of outcomes, and selective reporting. Meta-analyses were performed by RevMan 5.0.22 software. Results Three RCTs involving 745 participants were included. The results of meta-analyses showed chewing gum after cesarean section significantly shortened the time before getting the first postoperative flatus (MD= –6.54, 95%CI –7.82 to –5.27, Plt;0.000 01), reduced the risks of postoperative ileus (RR=0.54, 95%CI 0.34 to 0.87, P=0.01) and possibly shortened the length of hospital stay (MD= –0.21, 95%CI –0.39 to –0.03, P=0.02) compared with blank control. Currently, no adequate data supported the safety of chewing gum after cesarean section. Conclusion Chewing gum after cesarean section can promote the postoperative bowel recovery, and reduce the odds of postoperative ileus. However, more high quality RCTs are required for lack of included studies and poor quality of methodology.
ObjectiveTo summarize the recent advancements in the researches on the pathogenesis of postoperative ileus and explain the clinical significances of postoperative ileus mechanisms for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. MethodsRelevant literatures about the postoperative ileus mechanism published recently were collected and reviewed. ResultsThe occurrence of postoperative ileus were related to postoperative nerve reflex inhibition, inflammatory response, effects of drugs, and other factors, it was a variety of mechanisms modulating each other. ConclusionThe gastrointestinal motility of postoperative ileus is mainly regulated by neural reflexes, inflammatory reactions, and drug interactions, three of which act differently but as a whole in different time segments while the inflammatory response play a key role of postoperative ileus persistence.