Could a simple laxative before surgery make recovery less painful?
NCT ID NCT06159777
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at whether taking a laxative (polyethylene glycol 3350) both before and after surgery helps reduce discomfort during bowel movements after pelvic prolapse repair. 74 women having minimally invasive surgery were randomly assigned to take the laxative before and after surgery or only after surgery. The goal was to see if the pre-surgery dose made a difference in constipation symptoms and quality of life.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Polyethylene glycol 3350 (Miralax)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could lead to a simple way to reduce post-surgery bowel discomfort for women undergoing pelvic prolapse repair.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed Phase 4 trial with only 74 participants. The results may not apply to all women or surgeries, and the laxative may cause side effects like bloating or diarrhea.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
-
74 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jun 2024
- Finished
-
Mar 2026
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 89 years
- Sex
-
Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients assigned female sex at birth undergoing an apical prolapse procedure including: sacrocolpopexy, sacrospinous ligament suspension, uterosacral ligament suspension, or colpocleisis. Planned urogynecologic procedure may include hysterectomy, adnexectomy, colporrhaphy, perineorrhaphy, or treatment of stress urinary incontinence. * Planning to undergo primary procedure as above via minimally invasive route: vaginal or laparoscopic (including robotic-assisted). Including those that have an unplanned conversion intraoperatively of minimally invasive route to open laparotomy. Exclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, slow transit constipation, obstructed defecation, or symptomatic constipation at time of study screening and recruitment. (Slow transit constipation and obstructed defecation defined as per American Gastroenterological Association 2013 constipation statement. Symptomatic constipation defined as any of the following: Bristol Stool Scale score of 1 or 2, PAC-SYM score greater than 1.0, self-reported 2 or less bowel movements per week.) * Current use of pharmacologic laxative agent ≥1x/week (prescription or OTC) for the treatment of constipation symptoms * Allergy or intolerance to polyethylene glycol 3350 * Planning to undergo surgery via laparotomy * Scheduled for any concurrent non-urogynecologic procedure, ex abdominoplasty * History of large bowel resection, surgical treatment of constipation, or anal sphincter surgery * History of sacral neuromodulation * Current or prior radiation therapy to the abdomen or pelvis * Current or prior diagnosis of malignancy * Unable to provide informed consent
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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