Sublingual Microcirculation and Postoperative Ileus

AIM OF THE STUDY This observational study will assess whether perioperative microcirculatory changes can be correlated with symptoms associated with primary POI. PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTION Is there a correlation between peri-operative microcirculatory flow measurements and the incidence of symptomatic primary POI? SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. Is there a correlation between peri-operative microcirculatory flow measurements and the duration of symptomatic primary POI? 2. If any correlation is observed, which anatomic location (sublingual mucosa vs bowel serosa) yields microcirculatory flow measurements that are more strongly associated with the incidence and/or duration of symptomatic primary POI? 3. Can either intraoperative sublingual mucosa or intraoperative bowel serosa microcirculatory flow measurements predict symptoms of primary POI? Are these two anatomic locations equivalent in their ability to predict this complication?