Optimal Diet for Perforated Bowel Recovery

A perforated bowel is a serious condition, and immediate action such as surgery needs to be taken to prevent infection and death. Bacteria and stool from the bowel can spill into the abdominal cavity, causing peritonitis, an infection of the abdominal lining, according to the Cleveland Clinic. If not promptly treated, this can lead to a whole body infection called sepsis and cause death.

While the infection can be treated with antibiotics and the perforation repaired with surgery, people with a perforated bowel must follow a specific diet to recover without complications.

What to Eat When Recovering From Perforated Bowel

A perforated bowel can be caused by blunt trauma to the stomach area (such as being hit or stabbed), or more rarely, by swallowing a sharp object, according to the Merck Manual. Certain conditions, including appendicitis, diverticulitis, bowel obstruction, and an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, can also cause perforated bowel, according to StatPearls.

Treatment involves immediate surgery to repair the perforation, as well as intravenous antibiotics to prevent or treat infection.

Recovery from bowel surgery can take a few weeks. During this time, you’ll need to follow a few dietary rules to give your bowels appropriate time to heal.

Start With Clear Liquids

The perforated bowel will be sensitive after surgery, and if you’re also recovering from peritonitis, it’s crucial to resume eating with a clear liquid diet for the first few days to stay hydrated.

According to the Mayo Clinic, water, fat-free broth, fruit juices minus the pulp, fruit punch, clear soda, plain gelatin, ice pops, and plain coffee and tea are all acceptable on the clear liquid diet.

Move On to Soft Foods

When food becomes tolerable, it’s best to start with small portions of soft foods that are low in fiber. This will help your bowel recover from surgery and slowly get used to digesting food again, notes the National Health Service (NHS).

Low-fiber foods are easily broken down in the digestive tract, making them easy to pass. These include foods that are pureed, chopped, or mashed, such as applesauce and mashed potatoes, smooth yogurt, eggs, cooked or soft fruits and vegetables, cooked cereal, and pasta. Foods to avoid include whole-grain cereals, whole-grain bread, popcorn, nuts, raw vegetables, and beans.

Transitioning Back to a Normal Diet

The bowel may be sore after surgery, and it can take some time to regain normal function. Whole foods should be reintroduced gradually.

Regular foods can be reintroduced to your diet once the bowel inflammation and pain disappear and your doctor recommends doing so. Typically, you should aim to build back up your diet within 2 to 6 weeks of bowel surgery, the NHS says. Depending on how much bowel is removed, some dietary modifications may be needed. Discuss with your doctor whether that is necessary for you.

High-fiber foods such as bran flakes, granola, beans, oatmeal, and whole wheat pasta may still irritate the bowel. Check with your doctor before trying these foods.

The NHS recommends the following tips when building your diet back to what it was before perforated bowel surgery:

• Have small, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day rather than three large meals.
• Be sure to include protein in your diet, including foods like eggs, meat, fish, and low-fat dairy.
• Drink plenty of water or fluids, especially if you have diarrhea.
• Continue to gradually introduce foods to your diet over the weeks following surgery.