Preop Laxatives in Robotic Urologic Surgery

Part of paid clinical trials in Iowa City, Iowa.

Sponsor: Chad R. Tracy
Study ID: NCT05805436
Phase: PHASE4
Status: Recruiting

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Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: ALL
Age: 30 Years - 100 Years
Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Polyethylene Glycol 3350 — DRUG
Patients in the intervention arm will take polyethylene glycol 3350 for three days before robotic urologic surgery. Patients in the control arm will not.

Study Details

Minimally-invasive surgery, either laparoscopic or robotic, is commonly used in urology. Several urologic procedures including prostatectomy, radical nephrectomy, and partial nephrectomy are now commonly performed robotically. Patients undergoing these procedures often have delayed return of bowel function and persistent gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea/vomiting, abdominal distension, and bloating for several days to weeks after surgery. Postoperative stool softeners and laxatives are routinely used in an effort to minimize these symptoms, with varying degrees of success. The aim of this study will be to evaluate whether the use of a preoperative osmotic laxative will be beneficial in improving recovery of bowel function and alleviating postoperative gastrointestinal complaints in patients undergoing these procedures. Patients will be randomized to either receive or not receive three days of polyethylene glycol (PEG, also known as MiraLAX) on the three days before surgery. Patients in both groups will receive the same postoperative bowel regimen including scheduled PEG both in the hospital and upon discharge until first bowel movement. Patients will be given a questionnaire and diary to record their postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms and time to first bowel movement. These questionnaires and diaries will then be analyzed to determine differences in time to first bowel movement and gastrointestinal complaints during their recovery from surgery.