Clinical outcomes of manual bowel decompression (milking) in the mechanical small bowel obstruction: a prospective randomized clinical trial

BackgroundThe aim of this prospective randomized study was to investigate the effects of manual bowel decompression in patients who were operated on for mechanical small bowel obstruction.MethodsBetween March 2008 and February 2010, 40 consecutive patients with mechanical small bowel obstruction were randomized into 2 clinically comparable groups. The intestinal content of the dilated small bowel was caressed to the stomach (by milking) and aspirated via a nasogastric tube in the milking group (group M, n = 20) and left uncaressed in the control Group (group C, n = 20). Patients' characteristics and general operative outcomes were compared and analyzed.ResultsThe resumption of a regular diet and postoperative hospital stay (P = .68) were not significantly different in groups M and group C. Similarly, there were no differences between the 2 groups regarding respiratory complications (P = .34), bacterial translocation (P = 1), or wound infection (P = 1).ConclusionsThe findings suggest that routine milking is unnecessary in mechanical small bowel obstruction.