Chewing Gum Before Surgery Reduces Nausea and Vomiting
Author Information
Author(s): Chae Min Suk, Koh Hyun Jung
Primary Institution: Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea
Hypothesis
Can preoperative chewing of sugar-free gum reduce the need for anti-emetic drugs in women undergoing robotic laparoscopic surgery?
Conclusion
Chewing sugar-free gum for 15 minutes before surgery effectively reduces postoperative nausea and vomiting in women undergoing robotic laparoscopic surgery.
Supporting Evidence
- Chewing gum reduced the need for anti-emetic treatment from 95.6% in the control group to 79.5% in the gum-chewing group.
- Participants in the gum-chewing group required fewer doses of anti-emetic medications.
- No adverse effects were reported in either group.
- The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov to ensure transparency.
- Preoperative gum chewing is a simple and cost-effective intervention.
Takeaway
Chewing gum before surgery can help stop you from feeling sick afterwards, making you feel better faster.
Methodology
This was a randomized, single-blind study with 92 women assigned to either a gum-chewing group or a control group, assessing the need for anti-emetic medication post-surgery.
Potential Biases
The study design included blinding of outcome assessors to reduce bias.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size and was conducted at a single center, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
All participants were women aged 19 to 69 undergoing robotic laparoscopic surgery for uterine myomas.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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