Study objective: To assess the efficacy of metoclopramide for treatment of postoperative ileus in patients who underwent exploratory laparatomy.
Design: Prospective observational study
Setting: Surgical intensive care unit (SICU).
Patients: Thirty-two patients who underwent exploratory laparatomy
Intervention: Sixteen patients received metoclopramide, and 16 did not. The primary outcome was time to first postoperative bowel movement. Secondary end points were length of stay (LOS) in the SICU and total hospital LOS.
Measurements and main results: The mean number of days to first bowel movement was nearly identical for both the treatment group and control group (4.8 vs 4.7 days, respectively, p=0.93). Length of stay in the SICU was 8.3 days for the treatment group and 8.6 days for the control group (p=0.89), and total LOS was 18.0 and 20.1 days, respectively (p=0.63).
Conclusion: The time to first bowel movement was not significantly different between the treatment and control groups. Also, metoclopramide did not decrease LOS. Metoclopramide does not have a role in the treatment of postoperative ileus.