Colace BEFORE surgery?

[polka-dot, RN]

I can't figure out why my pt was given Colace prior to surgery. He'd had a bowel movement the day before, but was complaining of severe gas pain. I saw him on Tuesday, and the surgery is scheduled for Thurs or Fri. I know the general bowel prep for surgery is enemas until clear, and I know he'd get Colace after surgery, but why before? Does it help with the bowel prep? I don't think Colace helps with gas...any ideas?

Oh, he had a tumor in the colon, so that's what the surgery is for.

THANKS!

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Colace is often given to surgical patients so that the stool is softened and they do not need to strain postop (and damage their surgical sites).

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

Colace isn't really a laxative, don't forget. It's an anionic stool softener; its mechanism of action is that it reduces surface tension of the oil-water interface of the stool resulting in enhanced incorporation of water and fat allowing for stool softening. So it will work on the products of digestion that are out of the reach of the usual bowel prep in that period of time post-operatively when many people become constipated due to narcotic analgesia and immobility. I doubt that anyone would want him to pass a large, hard, formed stool through an area that has had surgical intervention. Ouch.

[polka-dot, RN]

Thanks ladies...that coincides perfectly with what a senior student told me. For some reason all my references said "colace after surgery", but it makes perfect sense for him to have it prior, just to be doubly sure that all will flow easily post-op.