What is the first post-op sign that bowels are starting to function again?

What is the first post-op sign that bowels are starting to function again?

• A. Appetite return
• B. Post-op flatus
• C. Stool in ostomy
• D. Bowel sounds on auscultation

Answer: (B)

After surgery, the bowels go through a period of ileus, and the first sign that movement has resumed is the passage of gas. This demonstrates that peristalsis is returning and the intestines are starting to function again. Appetite return tends to come later once digestion and overall GI tract activity improve. Stool in the ostomy indicates that stool is reaching the ostomy, but it isn’t the earliest indicator of motility returning. Bowel sounds on auscultation can be present or absent for various reasons and don’t reliably reflect actual early bowel movement. Therefore, post-op flatus is the best early sign that bowel function is reawakening.

After surgery, the bowels go through a period of ileus, and the first sign that movement has resumed is the passage of gas. This demonstrates that peristalsis is returning and the intestines are starting to function again. Appetite return tends to come later once digestion and overall GI tract activity improve. Stool in the ostomy indicates that stool is reaching the ostomy, but it isn’t the earliest indicator of motility returning. Bowel sounds on auscultation can be present or absent for various reasons and don’t reliably reflect actual early bowel movement. Therefore, post-op flatus is the best early sign that bowel function is reawakening.