Rapid Rehabilitation Program Can Promote the Recovery of Gastrointestinal Function, Speed Up the Postoperative Rehabilitation Process, and Reduce the Incidence of Complications in Patients Undergoing Radical Gastrectomy

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of rapid rehabilitation programs on gastrointestinal function, rehabilitation process, and complications of patients undergoing radical gastrectomy. METHODS: Of ninety-eight radical gastrectomy cases assessed for eligibility from January 2018 to July 2020, 43 patients who received routine perioperative nursing were assigned to the control group (CG), and 55 patients given a rapid rehabilitation program were assigned to the research group (RG). The recovery of gastrointestinal function, pain, nutritional status, complications, rehabilitation process, quality of life, and nursing satisfaction were compared. RESULTS: After nursing, in contrast to the CG, the RG showed significantly better recovery of gastrointestinal function (the first time to eat (t = 7.701, P < 0.01), the first time to anal exhaust (t = 9.342, P < 0.01), the first time to defecation (t = 2.061, P=0.040), and the recovery time to bowel sounds (t = 16.030, P < 0.01)), notably improved pain and nutritional status, and showed fewer complications (X(2) = 9.385, P=0.002). Rapid rehabilitation protocol also showed shorter recovery time and higher quality of life and nursing satisfaction of patients versus the routine perioperative nursing (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The rapid rehabilitation program can accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal function and postoperative rehabilitation and reduce the incidence of complications in patients undergoing radical gastrectomy.