AHRQ Review: More Research Needed on Effectiveness of Oral Mechanical Bowel Prep Before Colorectal Surgery

A new AHRQ research review found there is low strength of evidence that oral mechanical bowel preparation (OMBP) has similar effectiveness when compared with no preparation with respect to all-cause mortality, anastomotic leakage, wound infection and peritonitis for patients undergoing elective surgery for colorectal cancer. OMBP, an oral preparation given prior to surgery to clear fecal material from the bowel lumen, is often prescribed for patients prior to undergoing elective colorectal surgery. However, the evidence was too weak to determine whether OMBP was beneficial or harmful. According to the review, “Oral Mechanical Bowel Preparation for Colorectal Surgery,” future research – including further analysis of existing data and new comparative studies, both randomized and nonrandomized – is needed to definitively confirm or exclude the possibility of benefit or harm, especially in subgroups of patients.