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Previous Volume 345:988-989 September 27, 2001 Number 13 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Postoperative ileus, a temporary impairment of gastrointestinal motility, occurs universally after major abdominal surgery. This condition exacerbates nausea and vomiting, delays oral feeding, increases postoperative pain, and prolongs hospitalization. Nearly 100 years ago, Cannon and Murphy¹ demonstrated in dogs that opening the peritoneal cavity and manipulating the intestines resulted in a "striking" inhibition of contractile activity in the gastrointestinal tract.

In people, typical postoperative ileus is generally followed by the restoration of motility in the stomach and small bowel within 24 hours; colonic function is recovered over a period of 48 to 72 hours.^2,3 Gastrointestinal transit is modulated by a . . . [Full Text of this Article]

References

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Bream-Rouwenhorst, H. R., Cantrell, M. A. (2009). Alvimopan for postoperative ileus. Am J Health Syst Pharm 66: 1267-1277 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Moss, J., Yuan, C.-S., Steinbrook, R. A. (2002). Selective Postoperative Inhibition of Gastrointestinal Opioid Receptors. NEJM 346: 455-455 [Full Text]  
• (2001). An Opioid Antagonist Improves Postoperative Ileus. JWatch General 2001: 1-1 [Full Text]