Hospitals say you can eat after surgery -- but will you want to?

Q. I'm scheduled to have a hysterectomy. I hear I won't be ableto eat for a couple of days afterward. Why not?

A. It's long been believed that after a patient undergoes anykind of abdominal surgery, a day or two of starvation follows, andthen the patient gets to eat rubbery hospital Jell-O and waterybroth. That strategy gives the gastrointestinal system a neededbreak after the double insult of anesthesia and surgical bowelmanipulation, the thinking has gone.

During the last 10 years, however, that has changed. A number ofstudies show eating real food soon after surgery enhances healing,decreases the hospital stay and results in patients feeling a wholelot better -- without any increase in complications. There is nobenefit to starting with the traditional clear liquid diet andgradually moving up to solid food. Most people do surprisingly well,especially if they eat only when and what they want to.

The only thing that hasn't changed? Hospital food is still vile.

Q. I heard there was a study that proved that chewing gum rightafter surgery improves recovery. Is that true?

A. A number of studies have been published in the last couple ofyears looking at the potential benefit of chewing gum in the firstcouple of days after surgery. One showed that chewing gum for 30minutes, three times a day resulted in a quicker return to normalbowel function. Other studies showed no benefit, other than patientsenjoyed chewing gum after surgery.

The bottom line is that it probably doesn't help, but it doesn'thurt, either, and if nothing else, will take away that awful dry-mouth feeling. If you want to chew gum, though, bring your own. Lasttime I checked, the pharmacy wasn't supplying it.

Lauren Streicher, M.D., practices at Northwestern MemorialHospital. Her column appears every other Friday. E-maildrstreicher@suntimes.com.