Regular Diet After Colorectal Surgery

The goal of this pilot study is to assess the safety and feasibility of regular diet after surgical removal of the colon. The study will enroll patients preoperatively, prior to colon surgery, and will follow participants for up to 30 days. The study hypothesizes that simplifying nutritional recommendations is safe and may improve quality of life.

This pilot study aims to establish the safety of a return to a regular diet after surgery. Patients scheduled to undergo removal of a piece of their colon will be recruited before surgery and placed on a regular diet after surgery. Participants in this trial will be compared with previous patients who have undergone a similar surgery but were educated on and prescribed a low-fiber diet after surgery. Measures relating to morbidity and 30-day readmission rate will be collected prospectively. Surgical complications will also be collected. Participants will complete surveys about anxiety and quality of life at various time points in the study. We will track the healthcare resources needed by participants during this study through a number of metrics, such as visits, phone calls, and messaging. The overarching goals of this study are to determine if resuming a regular diet after surgery is safe, if it impacts quality of life, and whether it increases how often patients need to engage with the healthcare system. The study will also explore associations with patient anxiety and strain on the care team in the form of communications related to diet.

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female ≥ 18 years of age * Scheduled to undergo colon resection Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with bowel obstructions * Patients below the age of 18