One of the complications after abdominal surgery is postoperative ileus, which leads to patient discomfort and morbidity. For years chewing gum was thought to benefit patients after abdominal surgery and help alleviate the symptoms of ileus.

Dr Hidde Kroon and a team of medical professionals in the Netherlands conducted a randomised clinical trial to determine whether chewing gum enhances recovery after surgery – by stimulating saliva and gastric juices – and thereby helps reduce the length of hospital stay.

Currently on a Fellowship to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, in this episode Dr Kroon discusses the methodology and the results of the trial.

A PDF copy of the published paper to which Dr Kroon – titled 'Multicentre randomized clinical trial of the effect of chewing gum after abdominal surgery' – can be accessed and downloaded here: https://www.bjs.co.uk/article/multicentre-randomized-clinical-trial-of-the-effect-of-chewing-gum-after-abdominal-surgery/