Some patients with colon cancer have an operation to remove all or part of the colon as part of their treatment, or to evaluate suspected colon cancer (a procedure called colectomy). After this type of surgery, patients' bowel function often slows down for a few days as part of the natural reaction to the surgery. It is as if the bowels "go to sleep" for a while. This condition is called "postoperative ileus." It usually lasts for a few days.
Until postoperative ileus resolves, patients may have to stay in the hospital. Being able to eat food, pass gas, and have a bowel movement are indications that postoperative ileus has resolved and that bowel function has recovered.
Postoperative ileus, as well as postoperative abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, can contribute to a prolonged hospital stay, hospital readmission, and complications in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery. The purpose of this study is to determine if acupuncture can help patients recover bowel function after colectomy.
Acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles into the skin to treat symptoms. Placebo acupuncture is a technique that looks and feels the same as acupuncture, but is thought to have a weaker effect. There is evidence suggesting that acupuncture may help reduce postoperative ileus, pain, nausea, and vomiting. In this study, patients will be randomly assigned to receive acupuncture or placebo acupuncture, and findings will be compared between the two groups.
