The effect of coffee consumption on improving bowel function after abdominal hysterectomy compared to routine diet: a randomized double-blind clinical-trial

Postoperative ileus causes patient discomfort, prolonged hospitalization and extra costs on health system. Few studies support the possible role of coffee consumption in reducing the incidence of ileus. The present study was performed aimed to investigate the role of coffee consumption in comparison with routine diet on improving intestinal function after abdominal hysterectomy.

This randomized double-blind clinical trial study was performed in 2020-2021 on 40 patients candidate for hysterectomy due to benign uterine disease who had referred to Imam Reza hospital in Mashhad. The patients were divided into two groups and from the day after surgery, every 6 hours for three times, patients in intervention group consumed 100 ml of coffee and patients in control group consumed 100 ml of food coloring and essence similar to coffee. The primary outcome was the time of first gas passing and secondary outcomes were the time of first bowel sound, first defecation and incidence of postoperative ileus. Data were analyzed by SPSS 27 software (version 27). P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in comparing the time of first bowel sound (P=0.02), first gas passing (P=0.007) and first defecation (P<0.00). There was no case of severe ileus in participants. In comparison between the absence of ileus with the sum of mild and moderate ileus cases, the difference between two groups was significant (P=0.047). Comparison of hospitalization period was not significant between the two groups (P=0.24).

There was a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in comparing the time of first bowel sound, first gas passing, first defecation and incidence of ileus. It seems that coffee consumption after abdominal hysterectomy accelerates the onset of intestinal movements and reduces the incidence of ileus.