EFFECT OF PREOPERATIVE SUGGESTION ON POSTOPERATIVE GASTROINTESTINAL MOTILITY

Autonomic behavior is subject to direct suggestion. We found that pati ents undergoing major operations benefit more from instruction than fr om information and reassurance. We compared the return of intestinal f unction after intra-abdominal operations in 2 groups of patients: the suggestion group received specific instructions for the early return o f gastrointestinal motility, and the control group received an equal-l ength interview offering reassurance and nonspecific instructions. The suggestion group had a significantly shorter average time to the retu rn of intestinal motility, 2.6 versus 4.1 days. Time to discharge was 6.5 versus 8.1 days. Covariates including duration of operation, amoun t of intraoperative bowel manipulation, and amount of postoperative na rcotics were also examined using the statistical model analysis of cov ariance. An average savings of $1,200 per patient resulted from this s imple 5-minute intervention. In summary, the use of specific physiolog ically active suggestions given preoperatively in a believable manner can reduce the morbidity associated with an intra-abdominal operation by reducing the duration of ileus.