Criteria

Duration of postoperative ileus

Typical or physiologic postoperative ileus

  • The normal and expected slowing of bowel motility in response to the trauma of surgery.

  • Gastric motility recovers first, followed by small bowel motility in 24 to 48 hours, and colon motility in about 48 to 72 hours.[2]

Prolonged postoperative ileus

  • Defined as two or more of the following occurring on or after day 4 postsurgery without prior resolution of postoperative ileus: vomiting, abdominal distension, inability to tolerate oral feeding, absence of flatus.[3][4]

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