The effect of a pre-operative high fibre diet on the resolution of ileus following cholecystectomy has been evaluated.
The time needed to restore canalization of the gastro-intestinal tract has been compared in two random groups of patients (a total of thirty-eight) one treated with wheat bran and the other as control without the diet supplementation.
The average persistence of ileus was 24 hours in the treated group and 54 hours in the control group.
These results suggest that a bran-enriched diet could be an inexpensive and simple treatment to shorten the duration of ileus after abdominal surgery.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BarberH R KGraberE A (1974) Il tratto gastro-intestinale in rapporto alla chirurgia ostetricoginecologica. Clin. Ostet. and Ginecol. 4.
2.
BurdetteW JGehanE A (1970) Planning and analysis of clinical studies. C C Thomas Publication.
3.
BurkittD PWalkerA R RPainterN S (1972). LancetII, 1408.
4.
Manshande (1980) Fibre and post-operative ileus. (Letter to Editor)LancetII, 476.
5.
MelodyG F (1958) Intestinal obstruction after gynecological surgery. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 11, 2.
6.
MendeloffA I (1977) Dietary fibre and human health. New England Journal of Medicine297, 811.
7.
NachlasM MYounisM TRodaC P (1972) Gastro-intestinal motility studies as a guide to post-operative management. American Surgeon175, 510.
8.
PayerD K (1975) The effects of wheat bran on intestinal transit. Gut16, 209.
9.
RothnieN GHarperR A KCatchpoleB N (1963) Early post-operative gastro-intestinal activity. LancetII, 64.
10.
SculatiO (1980) Pre-operative fibre and post-operative ileus. (Letter to Editor)LancetI, 1252.
11.
SculatiO (1981) A simple method for resolving post-operative ileus in an early stage in obstetric and gynaecological surgery. Current Therapeutic Research29, 997.
12.
SilenWSkillmanJ J (1976) Symposium on response to infection and injury. The Surgical Clinics of North America56, 4.
13.
UlfelderH (1962) Post-operative intestinal problems. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology5, 512.
WilsonJ P (1975) Post-operative motility of the large intestine in man. Gut16, 689.
16.
WoodsJ HEricksonL WCondonR ESchulteW JSillinL F (1978) Post-operative ileus: a colonic problem. Surgery84, 527.
17.
ZintelH A (1970) Alimentazione nella cura del paziente chirurgico. In: Il Pensiero Scientifico. Edoi: Trattato di dietetica. Roma, Wohl and Goodhart. p 1083.
