Investigation of the effect of post-operative mobilization on bowel movements in neurosurgery patients; The case of Uludað University faculty of medicine hospital

INTRODUCTION: Post-operative gastrointestinal dysfunction is common after neurosurgical procedures and may prolong hospitalization. Early mobilization is a key intervention in enhanced recovery after surgery-based nursing care to facilitate the timely return of bowel activity. Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the association between post-operative mobilization timing and recovery of bowel function (first bowel sound, first flatus, and first defecation) in neurosurgical patients.
METHODS: This descriptive correlational study was conducted at a tertiary neurosurgical center between August 02, 2023, and February 02, 2024. A total of 178 adults who underwent brain or spinal surgery and met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Data were collected using a semi-structured form covering demographics, perioperative variables, time to first mobilization, and bowel function indicators. Normality was assessed; due to non-normal distributions, Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis, and Spearman correlation tests were used (IBM the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 25.0). The significance level was set at p<0.05.
RESULTS: The mean time to first mobilization was 18.94±19.09 h. The mean times to the first bowel sound, first flatus, and first defecation were 6.83±2.11 h, 13.30±7.21 h, and 34.30±20.67 h, respectively. Early mobilization was significantly associated with shorter bowel recovery times across outcomes (p<0.001 for all non-parametric comparisons). Correlation analyses confirmed significant associations between mobilization timing and each bowel function indicator.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The findings support the integration of structured early mobilization into routine post-operative nursing care for neurosurgical patients to accelerate gastrointestinal recovery and potentially reduce post-operative complications.

Keywords: Bowel movement, early mobilization, enhanced recovery after surgery, neurosurgery, nursing, post-operative.