NCT07014046

Simple Bed Exercises for Reducing Postoperative Ileus in Colorectal Surgical Patients.

Simple Bed Exercises for Reducing Postoperative Ileus in Colorectal Surgical Patients, a Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 76 (estimated)
• Sponsor: The University of Hong Kong · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of simple bed exercises for reducing postoperative ileus among colorectal surgical patients who have completed colorectal surgery and are experiencing postoperative ileus. The research team will recruit participants in list of elective colorectal surgeries from the Department of Surgery in the United Christian Hospital. The potential participants will first be assessed for eligibility by completing a simple screening assessment, which may take 10 minutes at facilities within the United Christian Hospital. If the patients meet the inclusion criteria, they will continue to take part in the study. The participants will be assigned randomly (1:1) to either Group 1 or Group 2 via computer randomization. Participants of Group 1 will receive education for simple bed exercises after colorectal surgery. Participants will be asked to have simple bed exercises for 15 minutes, three times a day starting from postoperative day one, until passing the first stool after surgery. All sessions will be conducted by surgical nurse in the United Christian Hospital. Surgical nurses will educate simple bed exercises with exercise video. Participants will be instructed to practise the simple bed exercises 3 times per day for 15 minutes each time at before breakfast, before lunch and before dinner, on top of the standard usual care. Participants in Group 2 will be placed under control group to receive standard usual care. All participants are required to record defecation, flatus and tolerance of oral intake starting from postoperative day one. Records will take place at 3-time points for both groups: at breakfast, at lunch and at dinner time. Each time participants must complete one set of record on the logbook provided by nurses. If necessary, clinical records including medical history and follow-up appointment time will be retrieved from electronic medical records.

Conditions

• Postoperative Ileus

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Simple bed exercises	The participants will be asked to perform exercise by lying flat on bed in supine position with their eyes look towards to the ceiling of the ward and start focusing on deep breathing exercises with slow inhalations and exhalations. These exercises aim to achieve regular pattern of abdominal muscles and improve the coordination between breathing, abdominal muscle contractions and colonic propulsions. After one-minute deep-breathing exercises, intervention group participants will be asked to pull both knees towards chest in return and turning body from one side to another while lying on bed.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-12-01
• Primary completion: 2025-09-30
• Completion: 2025-12-31
• First posted: 2025-06-10
• Last updated: 2025-06-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Hong Kong