Influence of Modified Xiao Chengqi Decoction Combined with Conventional Western Medicine Treatment on the Recovery Time of Gastrointestinal Function and Gastrointestinal Hormones in Patients with Postoperative Abdominal Distension after Cesarean Section

MAO Mi; XU Jianpeng

doi:10.16458/j.cnki.1007-0893.2026.01.009

Abstract：Objective To explore the effect of modified Xiaochengqi Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine on the recovery time of gastrointestinal function and gastrointestinal hormones in patients with postoperative abdominal distension after cesarean section.Methods A total of 86 patients with postoperative abdominal distension after cesarean section admitted to Zhumadian Hospital of Tiaditional Chinese Medicine Affiltiated to Henan University of Chinese Medicine from February 2023 to February 2025 were selected as the research subjects and randomly divided into a control group and an observation group,with 43 cases in each group.The control group received conventional Western medicine treatment,while the observation group was treated with modified Xiaochengqi Decoction in addition to the treatment of the control group.The recovery time of gastrointestinal function,pain degree,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome score,gastrointestinal hormones,quality of life before and after treatment and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results The time for relief of gastrointestinal discomfort,recovery of bowel sounds,first defecation and disappearance of abdominal distension in the observation group was shorter than that in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).After treatment,the scores of abdominal distension,nausea and vomiting,visual analogue scale(VAS)score,and the level of serum vasoactive intestinal peptide(VIP)level in the observation group were lower than those in the control group,while the levels of serum gastrin(GAS)and motilin(MTL)and the scores of each dimension of the generic quality of life inventory-74(GQOLI-74)in the observation group were higher than those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(P=0.333).Conclusion The combination of modified Xiaochengqi Decoction and conventional Western medicine in the treatment of postoperative abdominal distension after cesarean section can accelerate the recovery of gastrointestinal function,relieve clinical symptoms,reduce the degree of abdominal pain,regulate the levels of gastrointestinal hormones,and improve the quality of life without increasing adverse reactions.