Journal article
Are enemas given before abdominal operations useful? A prospective randomised trail.
- Mosimann F Department of Surgery, University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Cornu P
- 1998-08-11
Published in:
- The European journal of surgery = Acta chirurgica. - 1998
Abdomen
Enema
Female
Glycerol
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Peristalsis
Postoperative Period
Preoperative Care
Prospective Studies
English
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of preoperative enemas on the recovery of peristalsis after non-colonic abdominal operations.
DESIGN
Prospective randomised trail.
SETTING
University hospital, Switzerland.
SUBJECTS
116 adult patients (> 16 year old) about to undergo elective non-colonic abdominal operations under general anaesthaesia were considered.
INTERVENTION
Two groups were randomised to receive a one litre water and glycerine enema the day before operation (n = 53) or no preoperative intestinal preparation (n = 53).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Return of peristalsis after operation, assessed by auscultation of bowel sounds and time of the first spontaneous faeces. All participants were followed daily for 10 days or until discharge by the same observer.
RESULTS
110 patients gave informed consent, 6 refused to participate, and 4 had to be withdrawn after randomisation, leaving 106 for analysis. The patients without an enema recovered bowel sounds activity sooner (p = 0.02) and passed their first spontaneous faeces significantly earlier (p = 0.01). No subgroup of patients benefited from an enema.
CONCLUSION
Preoperative enemas delay rather than improve the return of normal peristalsis after surgery. We recommend this practice should be abandoned.
To assess the effect of preoperative enemas on the recovery of peristalsis after non-colonic abdominal operations.
DESIGN
Prospective randomised trail.
SETTING
University hospital, Switzerland.
SUBJECTS
116 adult patients (> 16 year old) about to undergo elective non-colonic abdominal operations under general anaesthaesia were considered.
INTERVENTION
Two groups were randomised to receive a one litre water and glycerine enema the day before operation (n = 53) or no preoperative intestinal preparation (n = 53).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Return of peristalsis after operation, assessed by auscultation of bowel sounds and time of the first spontaneous faeces. All participants were followed daily for 10 days or until discharge by the same observer.
RESULTS
110 patients gave informed consent, 6 refused to participate, and 4 had to be withdrawn after randomisation, leaving 106 for analysis. The patients without an enema recovered bowel sounds activity sooner (p = 0.02) and passed their first spontaneous faeces significantly earlier (p = 0.01). No subgroup of patients benefited from an enema.
CONCLUSION
Preoperative enemas delay rather than improve the return of normal peristalsis after surgery. We recommend this practice should be abandoned.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1080/110241598750005886
- PMID 9696975
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/290134
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