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Optimization of Postoperative Bowel Habits

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Constipation
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: Senna Tab
Dietary Supplement: Dulcolax Suppositories
Registration Number
NCT06335797
Lead Sponsor
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Brief Summary

Project is a trial, in which women undergoing vaginal surgery for pelvic organ prolapse will be randomized 1:1 to a postoperative bowel regimen of either oral senna or rectal bisacodyl suppository.

Detailed Description

Delayed return to bowel function following vaginal surgery for pelvic organ prolapse has been deemed to be highly distressing for patients, and is ranked as one of the most common reasons for emergency department visits and telephone calls in the immediate post-operative period.

Despite the prevalence of constipation and significant effect on quality of life, few studies have examined an evidence-based bowel regimen for postoperative constipation prevention in the Urogynecology population.

As per available medical literature, the onset of action for oral senna occurs within 6-12 hours, while bisacodyl suppository can take effect between 15 and 60 minutes following rectal administration. Proposed trial comparing oral senna to rectal bisacodyl suppositories for the prevention of postoperative constipation in women undergoing vaginal reconstructive surgery for symptomatic prolapse.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
88
Inclusion Criteria
  • Women ages 18 and older scheduled to undergo vaginal pelvic organ prolapse repair
Exclusion Criteria
  • Women younger than 18 years old
  • Those unable to provide consent
  • Preexisting chronic laxative use
  • Conditions that could affect bowel function including, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colorectal cancer, rectovaginal fistula; concurrent bowel surgery; intraoperative bowel injury

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
SENNASenna TabGroup A participants will be prescribed oral senna (Senokot; Atlantis Consumer Healthcare Inc., Bridgewater, NJ) 8.6mg tablets and be instructed to start with two tablets on the morning of Post Operative Day (POD)#1. Participant will continue taking two tablets on the daily. If no bowel movement on the morning of POD#3 participant may take 2 tablets in the morning and another 2 tablets that evening. The same can be replicated on POD#4. If no bowel movement on the morning of POD#5 participant may take magnesium hydroxide (Phillips' Milk of Magnesia; Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany) 30 mL by mouth and need to call the urology clinic for further instruction.
DULCOLAXDulcolax SuppositoriesGroup B participants will be prescribed bisacodyl rectal (Dulcolax Suppository; Sanofi S.A., Paris, France) 1 suppository to be placed rectally on the morning of Post Operative Day (POD)#1. Participant will continue placing a nightly rectal suppository until their first bowel movement. If no bowel movement by the morning of POD#5 participant may take magnesium hydroxide (Phillips' Milk of Magnesia; Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany) 30 mL by mouth and need to call the clinic for further instruction.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Time in hours to first bowel movement comparison between the two armsup to Post Operative Day (POD) 5

To compare the time to first bowel movement after use of bisacodyl suppositories or oral senna in women undergoing vaginal reconstructive surgery for pelvic organ prolapse. Time in hours will be recorded from the end of the surgical procedure. That is Post Operative Day (POD) 0. First bowel movement will be recorded up to POD5.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Overall Satisfaction (TSQM) ScoresDay 7

Patients will complete the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medicine (TSQM) at 1 week postop. The TSQM is a validated survey assessing patient satisfaction to treatment - It consists of 14 questions, with 7 possible answers for each question, ranging from "extremely agree" to extremely disagree. Higher Scores meaning more satisfaction.

Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptom Questionnaire (PAC-SYM) ScoresBaseline and Day 7

The Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptom Questionnaire is a validated 12-item questionnaire based on the Rome criteria for constipation and is tailored to assess a change in short-term constipation symptoms after an intervention. A score of 0.35 or greater on the Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptom Questionnaire is consistent with constipation, and the changes in scores correlate with clinical changes in constipation symptoms. Items are scored on 5-point Likert scales, with scores ranging from 0 to 4 (0 = 'symptom absent', 1 = 'mild', 2 = 'moderate', 3 = 'severe' and 4 = 'very severe').

Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Pain ScoresPost Operative Day (POD)1, POD2, POD3, POD4, and POD5

Patients will be asked to rate their pain with first bowel movement using an 11-point visual analog scale (VAS), in which a score of 0 equates to "no pain" and a score of 10 equates to the "worst pain possible." - VAS ratings of 0 to 4 mm can be considered no pain; 5 to 44 mm, mild pain; 45 to 74 mm, moderate pain; and 75 to 100 mm, severe pain.

Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) ScoresPost Operative Day (POD)1, POD2, POD3, POD4, and POD5

The Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) is a visual bowel movement rating scale from 1 to 7 that provided a validated measure of gut transit time based on the shape, consistency, and appearance of the bowel movement. The BSFS is an ordinal scale of stool types ranging from the hardest (type 1) to the softest (type 7) that is widely used in practice and clinical research to measure stool form. Types 1 and 2 are considered abnormally hard stools (and in conjunction with other symptoms indicative of constipation).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

🇺🇸

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States

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