Fitzgerald JE, Ahmed I Systematic review and meta-analysis of chewing-gum therapy in the reduction of postoperative paralytic ileus following gastrointestinal surgery. World J Surg. 2009 Dec;33(12):2557-66. doi: 10.1007/s00268-009-0104-5. Review.
Johnson MD, Walsh RM Current therapies to shorten postoperative ileus. Cleve Clin J Med. 2009 Nov;76(11):641-8. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.76a.09051. Review.
Noble EJ, Harris R, Hosie KB, Thomas S, Lewis SJ Gum chewing reduces postoperative ileus? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Surg. 2009 Apr;7(2):100-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2009.01.006. Epub 2009 Jan 31. Review.
Purkayastha S, Tilney HS, Darzi AW, Tekkis PP Meta-analysis of randomized studies evaluating chewing gum to enhance postoperative recovery following colectomy. Arch Surg. 2008 Aug;143(8):788-93. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.143.8.788.
Vásquez W, Hernández AV, Garcia-Sabrido JL Is gum chewing useful for ileus after elective colorectal surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. J Gastrointest Surg. 2009 Apr;13(4):649-56. doi: 10.1007/s11605-008-0756-8. Epub 2008 Dec 3. Review.
Use of Chewing Gum to Reduce Postoperative Ileus in Pediatric Patients After Gastrointestinal Surgery
Interventional studies are often prospective and are specifically tailored to evaluate direct impacts of treatment or preventive measures on disease.
Observational studies are often retrospective and are used to assess potential causation in exposure-outcome relationships and therefore influence preventive methods.
Expanded access is a means by which manufacturers make investigational new drugs available, under certain circumstances, to treat a patient(s) with a serious disease or condition who cannot participate in a controlled clinical trial.
Clinical trials are conducted in a series of steps, called phases - each phase is designed to answer a separate research question.
Phase 1: Researchers test a new drug or treatment in a small group of people for the first time to evaluate its safety, determine a safe dosage range, and identify side effects.
Phase 2: The drug or treatment is given to a larger group of people to see if it is effective and to further evaluate its safety.
Phase 3: The drug or treatment is given to large groups of people to confirm its effectiveness, monitor side effects, compare it to commonly used treatments, and collect information that will allow the drug or treatment to be used safely.
Phase 4: Studies are done after the drug or treatment has been marketed to gather information on the drug's effect in various populations and any side effects associated with long-term use.
