People who chewed nicotine gum after colon surgery said their pain was a bit less on day 3, but they also got more pain medicine through their spine, so it’s unclear if the gum itself helped with pain.
Scientific Claim
Patients undergoing colorectal surgery who chewed nicotine gum reported significantly lower pain scores on postoperative day 3 compared to those chewing placebo gum, though this was associated with longer epidural opioid use, suggesting the effect may be confounded by analgesic management.
Original Statement
“Pain scores (VAS) were significantly lower in the nicotine gum group on POD3 (1.40 [0.50-] vs. 2.70 [1.50-], p = 0.007)... Patients in the nicotine gum group used epidural opioids for a significantly longer time (3.00 days [2.00–4.25] vs. 2.00 [1.00–.00], p = 0.006).”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
probability
Can suggest probability/likelihood
Assessment Explanation
The study reports a statistically significant difference in pain scores but correctly notes the confounding variable (opioid use), making the phrasing appropriately cautious and probabilistic.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (0)
Contradicting (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 make patients feel less pain after surgery compared to regular gum, and it didn’t help them recover faster either.