Use of Beetroot Juice to Protect Against Postoperative Ileus (POI) Following Colorectal Surgery: a Pilot Study.

Postoperative ileus (POI) is a transient impairment of gastrointestinal motility following abdominal surgery, which leads to increased morbidity, prolonged hospitalization and increased healthcare cost. The pathogenesis of POI involves inflammation and oxidative stress, similar to ischemia/reperfusion injury that can be counteracted with beetroot juice. Beetroot juice is a source of inorganic nitrate, which by conversion of nitrate to nitrite in the body, exerts its protective effect. We before demonstrated in a preclinical model that administration of exogenous nitrite was shown to protect against POI. The aim of this pilot study is to investigate the possible protective effect of beetroot juice ingestion on POI following colorectal surgery.