SynthesisAnnals of surgical oncology2026
The Effect of Chewing Gum on Postoperative Gastrointestinal Function Recovery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Annals of surgical oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis study systematically evaluates the effectiveness of chewing gum as a nonpharmacological intervention to facilitate gastrointestinal recovery after gastrointestinal surgery.
methodsA literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to factor influencing patient recovery. 18, 2025, focusing on randomized controlled trials comparing chewing gum use versus standard care postsurgery. Data were synthesized through systematic review and meta-analysis according to PRISMA guidelines. Key outcomes included time to first postoperative flatus and bowel movement, hospital stay length, and incidence of postoperative bowel obstruction.
resultsThirty-five trials involving 4,898 patients met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed significant reductions in time to first postoperative flatus (weighted mean difference [WMD] = -12.19 hours; 95% confidence interval [CI] [-15.41, -8.98]; P < 0.00001), time to first bowel movement (WMD = -19.54 hours; 95% CI [-25.39, -13.68]; P < 0.00001), and hospital stay (WMD = -0.93 days; 95% CI [-1.3, -0.56]; P < 0.00001). A decrease in postoperative bowel obstruction incidence was also noted (relative risk [RR] = 0.7; 95% CI [0.56, 0.89]; P = 0.004). No significant effects on bloating, vomiting, nausea, or time to first feeding were observed.
conclusionsChewing gum is a safe and cost-effective adjunct to postoperative care, enhancing gastrointestinal recovery. Its inclusion in postoperative protocols is recommended for appropriate patients to improve recovery outcomes. Further studies are needed to examine long-term benefits and implementation in clinical settings.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.