Is nasogastric suction necessary after elective colon resection?

It is commonly held that nasogastric suction is necessary after colon resection to prevent small and large bowel distension, wound complications, and anastomotic problems. In this retrospective study of 118 patients undergoing colon resection for malignancy or inflammatory disease, 83 underwent postoperative nasogastric suction and 35 did not. A wide variety of postoperative variables were evaluated in these two groups of patients and few differences were found. However, there were trends toward shorter postoperative hospital stays, and less abdominal distension, nausea, and vomiting could be discerned in the patients who did not undergo nasogastric suction. This retrospective study suggests that routine nasogastric suction may not be necessary or useful after elective colon resection.