Reduction of Postoperative Gastrointestinal Dysmotility Following Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: a Randomized Control Trial.

Patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy at Cleveland Clinic Florida Department of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery will be recruited at their preoperative visit or over the phone. Inclusion criteria will be patients aged 18-85 undergoing minimally invasive gynecologic surgery in the form of total laparoscopic hysterectomy. Exclusion criteria are an underlying gynecologic malignancy, pre-existing gastrointestinal disorders, history of bowel resection, insulin-dependent diabetes or gastroparesis, known gastric dysmotility, chronic use of pain medications, or anticipated bowel surgery. Subjects that routinely take laxatives will be included in a sub-analysis. Randomization will occur in the immediate postoperative period. Enrolled subjects will be randomized using a computer generator. A total sample size of 72 subjects, with 24 subjects in each arm, is needed to attain a significance level of 95% at a power of 80% to demonstrate a reduction of 24 hours or more to first postoperative bowel movement. Accounting for a 10% attrition rate, we will aim to recruit 81 patients total with 27 subjects in each arm. The control group, arm A, will be not be prescribed any postoperative bowel care regimen. The first study group, arm B, will be prescribed docusate sodium(Colace) 100mg twice daily orally, and will be instructed to begin taking this the evening of surgery through postoperative day five. One dose will be taken with breakfast every morning, and the second dose will be taken with dinner every evening. The second study group, arm C, will be prescribed Miralax 17 grams oral powder pack daily with breakfast, and will be instructed to begin taking this the morning after surgery through postoperative day five. Prescriptions will be given at the time of randomization immediately postoperatively and prior to discharge home. At Cleveland Clinic Florida, a majority of patients are discharged the day of surgery.

In addition, the presence of preoperative constipation will be assessed prior to surgery based on the Rome IV criteria along with baseline stool consistency as per the Bristol Stool Chart. Postoperatively, patients will be asked to record the time of first flatus and time first bowel movement. Each subject will complete the Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) validated questionnaire on postoperative day 5, and a constipation score will also be calculated. Compliance with postoperative medications will also be assessed as defined by the number of medications taken as prescribed. Patients will record medications taken each day in a medication diary.