A study carried out by the National Tai-wan University Hospital and the National Tai-wan University, College of Medicine in Taipei, determined that patients -with partial bo-wel obstruction may improve -with oral intake of laxatives, acidophilus, and simethicone.

According to some specialists, patients -with partial adhesive smallbo-wel obstruction is usually managed conservatively, receiving intravenous hydration and nothing by mouth. “Previous studies have suggested that this approach is associated -with longer hospital stays and an increased risk of delayed surgery”, as reports ShyrChyr Chen, MD, from National Tai-wan University Hospital and National Tai-wan University College of Medicine in Taipei, and colleagues.

From 144 consecutive patients -with adhesive partial smallbo-wel obstruction that -was admitted bet-ween February 2000 and July 2001, 128 met the inclusion criteria and -were randomized to either the intervention group IV hydration, nasogastric (NG)tube decompression, and oral therapy -with magnesium oxide, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and simethicone or to the control group (IV hydration, NGtube decompression, and nothing by mouth).

Most of the patients -were men, -whose age -was 54.4 ± 15.9 years in the control group and 53.9 ± 16.3 years in the intervention group. A 91 per cent of patients in the intervention group and 76 per cent of patients in the control group had successful treatment -without surgery.

“oral therapy -with magnesium oxide, L. acidophilus and simethicone -was effective in hastening the resolution of conservatively treated partial adhesive smallbo-wel obstruction and shortening the hospital stay," the authors -write. "Further trials -with larger patient samples is needed to verify the value of oral therapy for partial adhesive smallbo-wel obstructions observed in this study”, the experts report.