Bowel motility after primary resection for colonic obstruction.

The duration of postoperative ileus and changes in contractile frequency of circular muscle were recorded in the colon of monkeys before and after primary resection for distal large bowel obstruction. Obstruction was induced gradually by an implanted device. Resection and primary anastomosis resulted in reduced contractile frequency (postoperative ileus) lasting less than 48 h, significantly shorter than the period of ileus after a control laparotomy.