Postoperative Gastrointestinal Dysfunction

Postoperative gastric distension is a common gastrointestinal complication after cardiac surgery and may delay recovery, prolong intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and reduce patient comfort. Anti-bloating patches are widely used in clinical practice to promote gastrointestinal function recovery; however, high-quality evidence regarding their effectiveness in cardiac surgical patients remains limited. This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an anti-bloating patch in reducing postoperative gastric distension after cardiac surgery. Adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery will be randomly assigned to receive either standard perioperative care alone or standard perioperative care plus anti-bloating patch therapy. Gastric bubble area will be quantitatively measured using chest radiographs and image analysis software. The primary outcome is the change in gastric bubble area on postoperative day 1 compared with baseline. Secondary outcomes include gastric bubble area on postoperative day 1, percentage change in gastric bubble area, abdominal distension score, time to first flatus, time to first bowel movement, gastric drainage volume, time to oral feeding, ICU length of stay, postoperative hospital length of stay, and patch-related adverse events. The results of this study may provide evidence for the use of anti-bloating patches as an adjunctive intervention to enhance postoperative gastrointestinal recovery in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

This prospective clinical study aims to evaluate the effect of Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) block on postoperative gastrointestinal function in patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Gastrointestinal recovery plays a crucial role in patient outcomes after bariatric surgery, and regional anesthesia techniques such as TAP block have been suggested to reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption, which may influence gut motility. In this study, postoperative gastrointestinal function will be assessed using the validated Patient-Reported Outcome for Dysfunctional Gastrointestinal Motility (PRO-diGI) scale. Additionally, gastric ultrasound will be performed to calculate the Perlas score as an objective marker of gastric emptying and residual volume. These assessments will allow a comprehensive evaluation of both subjective and objective gastrointestinal recovery parameters. The study will include adult patients scheduled for elective laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy at Elazığ Fethi Sekin City Hospital. Participants will receive standard general anesthesia with or without ultrasound-guided TAP block, and their postoperative recovery will be monitored. Primary outcomes include PRO-diGI scores at defined postoperative intervals, while secondary outcomes include Perlas scores obtained via gastric ultrasonography. The findings from this research are expected to provide valuable insights into the potential benefits of TAP block on gastrointestinal motility and overall recovery after bariatric surgery.

This study is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled phase II clinical study.