At-Home Bowel Stimulation

At-Home Bowel Stimulation: A Prospective Cohort Study

Postoperative ileus (POI) is a common complication after ileostomy closure and is associated with patient discomfort, delayed return of bowel function, prolonged hospital stay, and increased healthcare costs. One proposed contributor to POI is prolonged inactivity of the bowel segment distal to the ileostomy prior to restoration of intestinal continuity.

Previous studies, including a multicenter randomized controlled trial, have shown that preoperative bowel stimulation of the defunctionalized intestine can reduce rates of POI and shorten length of hospital stay. However, these interventions were performed in outpatient or hospital settings and required specialized nursing support.

This single-center, prospective interventional study aims to evaluate the feasibility and clinical impact of a patient-performed, at-home bowel stimulation program prior to ileostomy closure. Participants will perform daily bowel stimulation sessions at home for 3 weeks before surgery, following an initial supervised session. The primary objective is to assess feasibility, defined as successful completion of at least 6 of 9 at-home stimulation sessions by more than 75% of participants. Secondary outcomes include return to normal bowel function and length of hospital stay. Exploratory outcomes include postoperative bowel function, quality of life, and patient satisfaction.

Study outcomes will be compared with a retrospective cohort of patients who previously underwent ileostomy closure without at-home bowel stimulation. The long-term goal of this research is to support incorporation of preoperative bowel stimulation into Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) pathways for patients undergoing ileostomy closure.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Post-Operative Ileus (POI)
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: At-home bowel stimulation

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 34

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Marylise Boutros, MD; Phone Number: 954-659-5278; Email: BOUTROM3@ccf.org

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Weston, Florida, United States, 33331
      • Recruiting
      • Cleveland Clinic Florida
      • Principal Investigator: Marylise Boutros, MD
      • Contact: Marylise Boutros, MD; Phone Number: 954-659-5278; Email: BOUTROM3@ccf.org

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult patients who have undergone a partial colectomy or proctectomy for benign or malignant disease with a protective loop ileostomy

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- Adult patients who have undergone a partial colectomy or proctectomy for benign or malignant disease with a protective loop ileostomy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Underlying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Known peritoneal metastases at the time of ileostomy closure
• Inability to provide clear and informed consent
• History of subtotal colectomy or total proctocolectomy
• Planned laparotomy for ileostomy closure
• Inability to speak English or Spanish

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Prospective cohort; The prospective cohort will consist of 34 adult patients undergoing elective ileostomy closure at Cleveland Clinic Florida. Participants will complete 10 bowel stimulations within 3 weeks prior to ileostomy closure.	Other: At-home bowel stimulation; All participants will undergo a standardized preoperative bowel stimulation protocol prior to ileostomy closure. The intervention includes a total of 10 stimulation sessions performed over approximately three weeks. An initial in-person visit (≤30 minutes) with a trained research nurse will include placement of a catheter into the efferent limb of the ileostomy and performance of the first supervised stimulation as instruction. Each stimulation consists of instilling 500 mL of a thickened saline solution through the catheter using a syringe. Participants will then complete nine additional stimulations at home during the two weeks prior to surgery on weekdays only. Nursing phone support will be available during business hours, and weekday check-in calls will confirm completion. Participants will receive written instructions and a log to record session details, including symptoms and bowel movements. In-office stimulation will be available if needed.
Retrospective cohort; This cohort will consist of patients who previously underwent ileostomy closure at Cleveland Clinic Florida without the at-home bowel stimulation intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Percentage of participants who successfully completed at least 6 of the 9 at-home bowel stimulation sessions	75% of enrolled participants successfully completing at least 6 of the 9 at-home bowel stimulation sessions	Within 3 weeks prior to operative day (i.e., ileostomy closure date - day 0)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Return to normal bowel function	Normal bowel function will be defined as the absence of postoperative ileus. Postoperative ileus is defined as intolerance of oral intake, in the absence of clinical or radiographic evidence of obstruction, that either (a) requires nasogastric tube insertion or (b) is accompanied by at least two of the following on or after postoperative day 3: nausea or vomiting, abdominal distension, and absence of flatus.	From postoperative day 0 (ileostomy closure date) until return of normal bowel function, assessed daily during the index hospitalization, up to 30 days postoperatively.
Length of stay	Length of hospital stay after ileostomy closure	From postoperative day 0 (ileostomy closure date) until hospital discharge, assessed during the index hospitalization, up to 30 days postoperatively.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
European Quality of Life 5 Dimension	Quality of life will be measure by the European Quality of Life 5 Dimension (EQ-5D). The EQ-5D has two separate components: - EQ-5D health state index / utility score: Minimum is usually below 0 and maximum is 1.0. 1.0 = full health. Negative values mean a health state considered worse than death. Exact minimum depends on the country/value set used. - EQ visual analogue scale (VAS): Minimum 0, maximum 100. 0 = worst imaginable health, 100 = best imaginable health.	Quality of life will be assessed at 4 weeks, as well as at 3 and 6 months following operative day (i.e., ileostomy closure date - day 0).
Patient satisfaction	A satisfaction survey will be administered to participants	Patient satisfaction will be assessed at 4 weeks, as well as at 3 and 6 months following operative day (i.e., ileostomy closure date - day 0)
Global Physical Health (GPH) as measured by Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 10 (PROMIS-10)	Global Physical Health (GPH) will be assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 10 (PROMIS-10). Scores are converted to T-scores standardized to a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10 in the general population. Higher scores indicate better physical health.	Global Physical Health (GPH) will be assessed at 4 weeks, as well as at 3 and 6 months following operative day (i.e., ileostomy closure date - day 0).
Global Mental Health (GMH) as measured by Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 10 (PROMIS-10)	Global Mental Health (GMH) will be assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 10 (PROMIS-10). Scores are converted to T-scores standardized to a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10 in the general population. Higher scores indicate better mental health.	Global Mental Health (GMH) will be assessed at 4 weeks, as well as at 3 and 6 months following operative day (i.e., ileostomy closure date - day 0).
Bowel function	Post-operative bowel dysfunction will be assessed using the Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) score in rectal cancer patients only. The LARS score has a minimum value of 0 and a maximum value of 42 and higher scores mean worse outcome (no LARS: 0-20, minor LARS: 21-29, and major LARS: 30-42).	From postoperative day 0 through hospital discharge during the index hospitalization; postoperative weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4; and postoperative months 3 and 6 following ileostomy closure.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The Cleveland Clinic

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 28, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 7, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 7, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 20, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 5, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 8, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 18, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Post-operative ileus; Bowel stimulation
• Other Study ID Numbers: 24-1049

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No