Results:
A total of 38 randomised controlled trials were included in this network
meta-analysis reporting on 6371 patients. Our network meta-analysis
shows that prokinetics significantly reduce the duration of first gas
(Mean difference (MD) (hours) – 16; credible interval - 30, - 3.1;
surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) 0.418), duration of
first bowel movements (Mean difference (MD) (hours) -25; credible
interval - 39, - 11; SUCRA 0.25) and duration of post-operative
hospitalisation (Mean difference (MD) (hours) – 1.9; credible interval
– 3.8, - 0.040; SUCRA 0.34). Opioid antagonists are the only treatment
that significantly improve the duration of food recovery (Mean
difference (MD) (hours) - 19; credible interval - 26, - 14; SUCRA
0.163).