Chewing nicotine gum after colon surgery doesn't help your bowels start working again any faster than chewing regular gum.
Scientific Claim
In patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery, chewing nicotine gum (2 mg three times daily) does not significantly reduce time to first passage of feces or tolerance of solid food compared to placebo gum, based on a sample of 40 patients, suggesting no added benefit beyond sham feeding for early gastrointestinal recovery.
Original Statement
“Time to primary endpoint (4.50 [3.00–7.25] vs. 3.50 days [3.00–4.25], p = 0.398) and length of stay (5.50 [4.00–8.50] vs. 4.50 days [4.00–6.00], p = 0.738) did not differ significantly between normal and nicotine gum.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
overstated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
probability
Can suggest probability/likelihood
Assessment Explanation
The study used an RCT design, which can support causal inference, but the small sample size (n=40) and lack of statistical significance mean the conclusion cannot be definitive. 'Does not significantly reduce' is appropriate; 'ineffective' overstates certainty.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Nicotine chewing gum for the prevention of postoperative ileus after colorectal surgery: a multicenter, double-blind, randomised, controlled pilot study
The study found that chewing nicotine gum didn’t help patients poop or eat solid food any faster than chewing regular gum after surgery, so it doesn’t give any extra benefit.