Effect of Preoperative Abdominal Effleurage on Postoperative Constipation

July 6, 2026 updated by: Mehmet Ozkeskin, Ege University

The Effect of Preoperative Abdominal Superficial Effleurage Training on the Development of Postoperative Constipation in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effect of preoperative abdominal superficial effleurage training on the development of postoperative constipation in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned to an intervention group receiving abdominal superficial effleurage training in addition to routine care or to a control group receiving routine care only. The effleurage technique will be taught preoperatively and performed by patients postoperatively. Postoperative constipation will be assessed on the 10th postoperative day using the Bristol Stool Form Scale. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to non-pharmacological nursing interventions for the prevention of postoperative constipation.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Postoperative constipation is a common complication following abdominal surgery and may negatively affect patient comfort, recovery, and quality of life. Non-pharmacological nursing interventions that support bowel motility are therefore of increasing interest in perioperative care. Abdominal superficial effleurage is a gentle massage technique applied to the abdominal surface and is thought to stimulate intestinal peristalsis and promote bowel function.

This prospective, randomized controlled study will be conducted with patients scheduled to undergo abdominal surgery. A total of 42 patients will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=21) or the control group (n=21) using a computer-generated randomization method. Patients in the intervention group will receive preoperative training on abdominal superficial effleurage in addition to routine clinical care, while patients in the control group will receive routine clinical care only. To minimize interaction between groups, data from the control group will be collected prior to the intervention group.

Abdominal superficial effleurage will be taught during the preoperative period and performed by patients postoperatively. The technique involves gentle stroking movements starting from the right upper quadrant of the abdomen and progressing toward the left lower quadrant. Each session will last approximately five minutes and will be performed one to three times daily during periods when the patient is not experiencing pain. Postoperative constipation will be evaluated on the 10th postoperative day through a telephone interview using the Bristol Stool Form Scale. Study data will be analyzed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical methods.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
42

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients scheduled to undergo abdominal surgery
  • Patients who are able to communicate verbally
  • Patients who agree to participate in the study and provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with preoperative constipation
  • Patients with known gastrointestinal diseases affecting bowel motility
  • Patients who are unable to perform abdominal superficial effleurage
  • Patients with cognitive impairment or communication difficulties
  • Patients who refuse to participate in the study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Abdominal Superficial Effleurage Group
Participants in this group will receive preoperative training on abdominal superficial effleurage in addition to routine clinical care. Following surgery, patients will perform the effleurage technique for approximately five minutes, one to three times daily, during periods without pain.
Behavioral: Abdominal Superficial Effleurage Training
Abdominal superficial effleurage is a gentle abdominal massage technique involving stroking movements from the right upper quadrant toward the left lower quadrant of the abdomen. Participants will be trained preoperatively to perform the technique, which will take approximately five minutes per session and will be performed one to three times daily postoperatively during pain-free periods.
No Intervention: Control Group
Participants in the control group will receive routine clinical care only and will not receive abdominal superficial effleurage training during the study period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Postoperative Constipation
Time Frame: 10 days postoperatively
Postoperative constipation will be assessed using the Bristol Stool Form Scale through a telephone interview conducted on the 10th postoperative day. Stool types 1 and 2 will be considered indicative of constipation.
10 days postoperatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Stool Consistency
Time Frame: 10 days postoperatively
Stool consistency will be evaluated using the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS), a 7-point validated scale ranging from Type 1 (separate hard lumps, indicating severe constipation) to Type 7 (watery, no solid pieces, indicating severe diarrhea). Higher scores indicate looser stool consistency and a tendency toward diarrhea.
10 days postoperatively

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Ege University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Mehmet Ozkeskin, PhD, Ege University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 10, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 10, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 10, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 7, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 7, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 15, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 6, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • MOzkeskin7126

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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