A randomized trial of rocking-chair motion on the effect of postoperative ileus duration in patients with cancer recovering from abdominal surgery

Abstract Patients who undergo abdominal surgery experience a phenomenon commonly called postoperative ileus (POI). Standard of care requires patients to get out of bed, sit in a chair, and begin ambulating the first postoperative day. No evidence supports standard care activities reduce POI duration. Rocking-chair motion has shown promise in reducing POI duration. Sixty-six participants were randomized into 2 groups. The experimental group ( n = 34) received standard care plus the rocking-chair intervention; the control group ( n = 32) received standard care. Participants in the experimental group had shorter duration of POI, no effect on medication use, and time to discharge.