Does Caffeine Reduce Postoperative Bowel Paralysis After Elective Colectomy?

Summary

Postoperative bowel paralysis is common after abdominal operations, including colectomy. As a result, hospitalization may be prolonged leading to increased cost. A recent randomized controlled trial from the University of Heidelberg showed that consumption of regular black coffee after colectomy is safe and associated with a significantly faster resumption of intestinal motility (Müller 2012). The mechanism how coffee stimulates intestinal motility is unknown but caffeine seems to be the most likely stimulating agent.

Thus, this trial addresses the question: Does caffeine reduce postoperative bowel paralysis after elective laparoscopic colectomy?

Patients after laparoscopic colectomy will receive either 100 mg caffeine, 200 mg caffeine, or 250mg corn starch (placebo) 3 times daily in identically looking gelatin capsules.

The study is a randomized, controlled trial, with blinding of physicians, patients and nursing stuff (evaluating the endpoints).

Primary endpoint will be the time to first bowel movement.

Conditions

• Postoperative Ileus
• Laparoscopic Colectomy Without Stoma Formation
• Colorectal Neoplasm
• Diverticulitis

Interventions

DRUG

Caffeine (100 mg)

Patients after laparoscopic colectomy will receive 3 times daily capsules with 100 mg caffeine together with the meals. First capsule will be taken on the evening of surgery if surgery was completed before 1 pm, otherwise the first capsule will be taken on the morning of the next day. Treatment consists of 10 capsules and will be stopped after the first solid bowel movement.

DRUG

Caffeine (200 mg)

Patients after laparoscopic colectomy will receive 3 times daily capsules with 200 mg caffeine together with the meals. First capsule will be taken on the evening of surgery if surgery was completed before 1 pm, otherwise the first capsule will be taken on the morning of the next day. Treatment consists of 10 capsules and will be stopped after the first solid bowel movement.

DRUG

corn starch (250 mg approx.)

Patients after laparoscopic colectomy will receive 3 times daily capsules with 250 mg corn starch together with the meals. First capsule will be taken on the evening of surgery if surgery was completed before 1 pm, otherwise the first capsule will be taken on the morning of the next day. Treatment consists of 10 capsules and will be stopped after the first solid bowel movement.

OTHER

Radiopaque marker

On the morning of the first, second and third day after surgery patients will take 1 capsule each day with radiopaque markers . On day 4 after surgery an abdominal X-ray will be performed to localize the markers. Each gelatin capsule contains 10 markers consisting of polyurethane encapsulated barium sulfate (40%).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Gottfried und Julia Bangerter- Rhyner-Stiftung, Basel

  collaborator OTHER

• Thomas Steffen

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Thomas Steffen, MD · Department of General, Visceral, Endocrine and Transplantation Surgery, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

QUADRUPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2015-08-31

Primary Completion

2020-08-31

Completion

2020-12-22

Countries

• Switzerland

Study Locations