Coffee lets colorectal surgery patients recover, go home faster

Editor's Note

Postoperative coffee intake after elective laparoscopic colorectal resection leads to a faster recovery of bowel function and decreases hospital length of stay, this study from Switzerland finds.

A total of 115 patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (56) receiving coffee or the control group (59) receiving tea; 150 mL of the assigned beverage was drunk 3 times per day until discharge.

The first bowel movement occurred after a median of 65.2 hours in the coffee group vs 74.1 hours in the tea group.

Hospital stay was 6 days for the coffee group and 7 days for the tea group.

Coffee intake represents a simple and effective strategy to prevent postoperative ileus, the researchers say.