Orthograde intestinal irrigation or Fordtran solution for bowel preparation in elective colorectal surgery. Prospective outcome study

In a prospective cohort study, which was carried out at the department for abdominal surgery of the university of Mainz from June to December 1993, two methods of bowel preparation for elective colorectal surgery were compared: oral bowel preparation with Fordtran a new polyethylene glycol solution (63 patients), and whole-gut lavage with Ringer's solution (37 patients). The serum chloride levels and the bodyweight increased significantly more in the whole-gut lavage group. These patients also showed a higher frequency of vomiting during bowel preparation. Neither the bowel cleansing effect nor the postoperative complications differed significantly between the two groups. Owing to these results, the better patient acceptance, and the easier handling and lower costs of PEG solution, we recommend this method of preoperative bowel preparation for elective colorectal surgery.