Springer JE, et al. - This was the first study evaluating the efficacy of simethicone in treating postoperative ileus symptoms in patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Researchers reported that simethicone had no impact on the resolution of postoperative ileus or reduction in abdominal pain following colorectal surgery. It was noted that postoperative ileus remained a significant clinical and economic burden to the healthcare system.

Methods

• This multicenter, double-blinded, placebo controlled randomized controlled trial was conducted at two academic tertiary care centres in Ontario, Canada.
• For the purpose of this investigation, 118 subjects undergoing colorectal surgery.
• In this trial, patients were randomized to receive either a five-day course of oral simethicone (n=58) or a placebo (n=60).
• Time to first passage of flatus was the primary outcome.
• Time to first bowel movement, postoperative length of stay, and postoperative pain were the included secondary outcomes.
• Researchers performed statistical analyses on an intention-to-treat basis and statistical significance set at p=0.05.

Results

• According to the findings obtained, the median time to first passage of flatus in simethicone arm was 25.2 h and 26.7 h in controls (p=0.98).
• No significant differences were found in the median time to first bowel movement (simethicone=41.1 h vs control=42.9 h, p=0.91) or median length of hospital stay (simethicone=4.5 days vs control=4.0 days, p=0.63).