Background

Constipation is a significant symptom that affects patients following abdominal surgery and has been reported in up to 40% of hospitalized individuals. Those who have undergone sleeve gastrectomy (SG) are particularly at risk due to their post-surgical state but more specifically from the physiologic and dietary changes they experience. This self-reported observational study sought to quantify the incidence of post-SG constipation as a means to justify medication administration and program pathway changes.

Methods

The sample, which is still open and accruing, included surveys from 28 pre-operative patients and 26 patients status post sleeve gastrectomy. The patients were asked to complete a pre-op and post-op (at any scheduled follow-up appointment) symptom survey. The questions were accessed via a QR code in the office and completed electronically.

Results

In this population, 17% of patients reported having two or less bowel movements per week pre-operatively, which increased to 60% post-operatively. It was also noted that the number of patients using a once-daily bowel movement assist medication tripled after surgery.

Conclusions

The incidence of constipation was shown to increase after SG and by demonstrating this symptom in our patients, it supported a change in the post-operative pathway to increase the daily dosage of bowel assist medication and institute a more robust bowel regimen. Using a structured method to identify areas for improvement in our surgical pathway promotes improved patient outcomes through preventative management and more targeted follow-up care.