Chewing gum after colectomies

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After being off a few days, I returned to work to find chewing gum in the narcotic drawers. We are now giving post colectomy patients chewing gum, 3 to 4 times a day to hasten bowel motility. Is anyone else doing this? Any comments?

Specializes in Open Heart/ Trauma/ Sx Stepdown/ Tele.

Come to think of it I was at a staff meeting on Tue and the nurse manage was asking us if anyone had gum for soandso pt.

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Specializes in PICU.

We actually had a group presentation on this subject (I am in nursing school). I don't think I have the original article anymore. I haven't seen this implimented in my hospital yet.

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Specializes in Long Term Care.

Doesn't it stand to reason that if the mouth is the beginning of the digestive tract that that is where peristalsis would begin?

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

LOL sorry but can't resist here...we know that peristalsis begins at the mouth...but I have lots of patients that can run off at the mouth and still be full of immobile and chronic **ap...an no amount of gum will help it! LOL!!!!! Sorry..LOL!!!

now back to our regular scheduled thread....LOL!

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

oops it copied twice..sorry :)

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

A few links from Medscape regarding this:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/524059

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/527602

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/524084

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