An agent to improve gastrointestinal recovery after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Nicotine gum

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to investigate the gastrointestinal recovery effects of the nicotine gum after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
METHODS: In this study, 119 patients were randomized into three groups as follows: Sugar–free gum, nicotine gum and control. After laparoscopic cholecystectomy, within an interval of two hours, the gum was chewed for 15 minutes by the gum groups. Demographic features, postoperative first flatus time, first hunger feelings, first defecation time, constipation scores, smoking, and drain usage were recorded.
RESULTS: The first flatus time of the Nicotine Gum group was significantly lower than those of the Control group (p=0.018). There was no statistically significant difference between the Sugar–Free Gum and the control group (p=0.992). The nicotine gum group was the first to have defecation in a significantly shorter period than the other two groups (p=0.036, p=0.008, p<0.05). According to smoking in all patients, the first flatus time was found to be significantly lower in smokers than in non–smokers (p=0.004). The findings showed that the time of the first defecation was statistically significantly earlier in the smoker patient group (p=0.015).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Nicotine gum used as a sham feeding after laparoscopic cholecystectomy accelerated the recovery of the gastrointestinal system motility. Also, independently of sham feeding, the time of first postoperative gas and defecation were found to have occurred in the earlier period in the patient group of smokers.