Intestinal obstruction

This study tests whether patients can safely perform a daily bowel stimulation at home for three weeks before ileostomy closure surgery. The goal is to see if this simple routine can prevent postoperative ileus (a temporary bowel paralysis) and shorten hospital stays. Thirty-four…

This study tests a new magnetic device that creates connections in the stomach or small intestine to bypass blockages. It is for people with conditions like gastric outlet obstruction or superior mesenteric artery syndrome. The goal is to see if the device is safe and works as in…

This study tests whether feeding babies with congenital gastrointestinal issues (like gastroschisis or Hirschsprung disease) only human milk helps them reach full feeds faster than standard care, which may include formula. Researchers will also look at gut bacteria and infection …

This study tests whether drinking beetroot juice for a week before colorectal surgery can help the gut start working again sooner. About 170 adults will be randomly assigned to drink either real beetroot juice or a placebo. Researchers will track when patients can eat solid food …

This study will follow about 4,000 people who have received a fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) — a procedure that transfers gut bacteria from a healthy donor to restore balance in the gut. It aims to see how well FMT works over 3 months, 1 year, and 5 years for conditions like r…

This study tests a device called the Eclipse XL1 that is placed inside the body to slowly stretch and lengthen the remaining small intestine in people with short bowel syndrome. The goal is to improve nutrition and reduce the need for intravenous feeding. The study will enroll 40…

This study looks at whether emergency doctors can use a simple bedside ultrasound to rule out a small bowel obstruction in patients with low or moderate risk. If ultrasound works well, many patients could avoid the radiation, cost, and wait time of a CT scan. About 667 adults wit…

This study tests whether transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) can reduce gastrointestinal dysfunction after urological laparoscopic surgery. 112 adults undergoing procedures like laparoscopic nephrectomy will receive either real or sham TEAS before and after surg…

This study tests whether giving lactulose, a mild laxative, after complex appendix surgery helps the bowels start working again sooner. 150 adults will receive either lactulose or a placebo for a few days after their operation. The main goal is to see how quickly they can pass st…

This study tests whether a combination of a long-lasting numbing drug (liposomal bupivacaine) injected into the belly wall plus a special painkiller (oxycodone) given through an IV can help the gut recover faster after major abdominal surgery. 132 adults having small bowel or col…

This study tests whether adding a short course of the steroid dexamethasone to standard supportive care helps more people recover from an adhesive small bowel obstruction without needing surgery. About 550 adults with this condition will be randomly assigned to receive either dex…

This study tests whether giving less or more IV fluids during a planned C-section helps reduce nausea and vomiting after surgery and helps the bowels recover faster. About 160 women having planned C-sections under spinal anesthesia will take part. The goal is to find the best flu…

This study looks at whether chewing gum after gastrointestinal surgery can help the bowels start working again sooner. About 96 adults having open abdominal surgery will either chew gum or not, and researchers will measure how quickly they pass gas and have their first bowel move…

This study tests whether pyridostigmine, a drug that stimulates bowel activity, can safely and effectively treat postoperative ileus—a common condition where the bowels stop working after colorectal surgery. About 50 adults who develop ileus after elective colorectal surgery will…

This study tests a vagal nerve stimulator device to see if it can reduce how long patients need a nasogastric (NG) tube after abdominal surgery. The NG tube is used to relieve pressure from a common complication called postoperative ileus, but it can cause pain and discomfort. Si…

This study looks at whether using lower pressure gas during laparoscopic large bowel surgery can protect the gut and help patients recover faster. About 125 adults having certain types of colon surgery will be randomly assigned to different pressure levels. The goal is to see if …

This study aims to collect medical data and biological samples (blood, urine, stool, and tissue) from up to 4,000 adults with known or suspected gastrointestinal diseases. Participants receive standard medical care at the NIH, and any extra samples or leftover tissue from procedu…

This study is creating a registry of up to 5,000 patients with various gut movement disorders, such as GERD, gastroparesis, and IBS. Doctors will use standard criteria to make accurate diagnoses and collect patient-reported outcomes. The goal is to improve understanding of these …

This study looks at whether placing a tube through the nose into the stomach (nasogastric tube) actually helps people with a small bowel obstruction. About 1000 patients in Sweden will be randomly assigned to either get the tube or not. The goal is to see if avoiding the tube lea…

This study looks at how certain changes in the ACTG2 gene affect the development and function of intestinal muscle in children with a rare condition called pediatric intestinal pseudo-obstruction (PIPO). Researchers will take cells from 4 patients with PIPO and grow them into min…

This study looks at people with small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors that have spread and cannot be cured. It compares those who had surgery to remove the main tumor plus other treatments against those who had only other treatments. The goal is to see if surgery helps patients …

This study looks back at medical records of 60 newborns who had signs of possible intestinal blockage before birth. Researchers want to find out which ultrasound measurements best predict whether a baby will actually have a blockage after delivery. The goal is to help doctors giv…

This study follows 106 people who had weight-loss surgery using the MagDI system, a device that uses magnets to create a new connection between parts of the intestine. The main goal is to see how often internal hernias or bowel blockages happen within one year after surgery. Rese…

This study looks at a common problem after bowel surgery called postoperative ileus, where the bowel temporarily stops working. The researchers want to test a scoring system called IFEED to see if it can better define this condition and predict how long patients stay in the hospi…