Riassunto dello studio

A total of eighty-eight patients aged 65 years and older hospitalized with hip fractures were randomized to receive abdominal massage (n=48) or no abdominal massage (n=40). The primary outcome of interest was stool consistency using the Bristol Stool Scale, the effectiveness of abdominal massage on constipation management, specifically assessing the number of constipation remedies used and defecation failures as well as time to defecation post-surgery. Secondary outcomes of interest included development of postoperative ileus and duration of hospitalization. Outcomes were assessed 5 days after surgery and at discharge. Overall, the results of the study revealed that the abdominal massage group used significantly fewer constipation remedies and had fewer defecation failures on postoperative day 5 compared to the control group. No significant difference in the Bristol Scale between groups was found. Overall, these findings indicate that abdominal massage could serve as a beneficial non-pharmacological treatment for constipation in hospitalized elderly patients recovering from hip fractures.