This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of postoperative gum chewing on gastrointestinal function in women undergoing laparoscopic gynecological surgery for benign indications. The researchers screened five major databases and included randomized controlled trials without language restrictions. The analysis included data from five studies involving 670 patients. The results showed that postoperative gum chewing significantly reduced the time to first bowel sounds and the time to first passage of flatus. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the time to first defecation, time to first postoperative patients’ mobilization, length of hospital stay, or risk of postoperative bowel obstruction between the patients who chewed gum and those who did not. Subgroup analysis based on the type of laparoscopic procedure revealed that postoperative gum chewing did not have a positive impact on the times to first passage of flatus and first defecation following laparoscopic hysterectomies.

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