A systematic review of 37 studies involving 4,647 patients revealed that chewing gum, electroacupuncture, and prokinetic agents significantly reduce the time to passage of the first flatus and stool, thereby mitigating postoperative ileus. Electroacupuncture reduced flatus passage by an impressive 18.33 hours, while prokinetic agents decreased stool passage time by 32.27 hours. Other methods like daikenchuto and coffee showed less effective outcomes. These insights can optimize recovery strategies in gastrointestinal surgery.
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