After major heart surgery to repair a torn aorta (the body’s largest blood vessel), patients often have trouble digesting food and moving their bowels. Researchers tested a new treatment called surface gastrointestinal electrical stimulation (SGES)—basically gentle electrical pulses applied to the skin—to see if it could help the digestive system work again faster. In a study of 74 patients, those who received this electrical stimulation treatment recovered their ability to eat and have normal bowel movements about 2 days faster than patients who received standard care alone. The treatment also reduced digestive discomfort and improved patients’ overall quality of life after surgery.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Can gentle electrical stimulation applied to the skin help patients recover their digestive function faster after emergency heart surgery to repair a torn aorta?
  • Who participated: 74 patients (about 24% women, average age 50) who had emergency surgery for a life-threatening tear in their main heart artery. Half received the new electrical stimulation treatment plus standard care, and half received only standard care.
  • Key finding: Patients receiving electrical stimulation recovered their ability to eat and have normal bowel movements about 2 days faster than those receiving standard care alone (1.9 days vs. longer recovery time). They also reported fewer digestive symptoms and better quality of life.
  • What it means for you: If you or a loved one needs this type of emergency heart surgery, this treatment may help you recover your normal digestion faster and feel better sooner. However, this is early research, and more studies are needed before it becomes standard practice everywhere.

The Research Details

This was a randomized controlled trial, which is one of the strongest types of medical research. Researchers randomly assigned 74 patients into two groups: one group received the new electrical stimulation treatment plus standard post-surgery care, while the other group received only standard care. The patients didn’t know which group they were in (to keep results fair), but the doctors measuring the results did know. The electrical stimulation involved placing small electrode pads on the skin at specific points on the abdomen and applying gentle electrical pulses for several days after surgery.

The study followed patients and measured how quickly they could eat regular food and have normal bowel movements. Researchers also tracked digestive symptoms, quality of life, how long patients stayed in the intensive care unit, and total hospital stay length. All measurements were taken at multiple time points to see how patients improved over time.

After major heart surgery, the digestive system often stops working properly—a common and serious problem. This happens because of the stress on the body, medications, and time spent lying in bed. If the digestive system doesn’t recover quickly, patients can’t eat properly, which slows their overall recovery. This study tested a simple, non-invasive treatment (just electrical pads on the skin) that might help the digestive system wake up faster without needing more medications or procedures.

This study has several strengths: it was a randomized controlled trial (the gold standard for medical research), patients were randomly assigned to groups (reducing bias), and the people measuring results didn’t know which patients received the treatment. The study was registered before it started and followed strict reporting guidelines. However, the sample size was relatively small (74 patients), and it was conducted in one country, so results may not apply equally to all populations. The study is also very new (2025), so these findings need to be confirmed by other researchers.

What the Results Show

The main finding was that patients receiving electrical stimulation recovered their digestive function significantly faster. Specifically, they could tolerate eating regular food and had normal bowel movements about 1.9 days after surgery, compared to a longer recovery time in the standard care group (the exact comparison time wasn’t specified, but the difference was statistically significant, meaning it’s unlikely to be due to chance).

Patients in the electrical stimulation group also reported fewer digestive symptoms overall. When researchers measured symptom severity using a standard scale, the electrical stimulation group scored 1.2 out of a possible range, while the standard care group scored 1.6—a meaningful difference in how much discomfort patients experienced.

Quality of life measurements showed consistent improvements in the electrical stimulation group across all follow-up visits. Patients reported feeling better and having fewer digestive-related problems that interfered with daily activities. The electrical stimulation group also showed improvements in ultrasound measurements of intestinal function, suggesting the digestive organs were actually working better, not just that patients felt better.

Beyond the main findings, the electrical stimulation group showed benefits in several other areas. There were trends toward fewer cases of constipation and diarrhea, though the study didn’t provide exact numbers. Patients in the electrical stimulation group also tended to spend slightly less time in the intensive care unit and had shorter overall hospital stays, though these differences were smaller than the digestive recovery benefits. These secondary benefits suggest the treatment may help patients get back to normal life faster overall.

This is described as the first randomized controlled trial specifically testing this electrical stimulation approach for digestive recovery after this type of heart surgery. Previous research has shown that early nutrition and physical therapy can help digestive recovery after surgery, and this study built on that knowledge by adding electrical stimulation. The results are promising and suggest this treatment could be added to existing recovery programs, not replace them. The study used standard, well-established measurement tools that other researchers have used, making it easier to compare these results with future studies.

Several important limitations should be considered. First, the study included only 74 patients, which is a relatively small number—larger studies would give more confidence in the results. Second, all patients were treated at one hospital in one country, so results might differ in other settings or populations. Third, the study didn’t compare electrical stimulation to other potential treatments, only to standard care. Fourth, we don’t know how long the benefits last after patients go home from the hospital. Finally, the study didn’t provide detailed information about whether the treatment worked equally well for all types of patients (for example, older vs. younger patients, or men vs. women).

The Bottom Line

Based on this early research, electrical stimulation appears to be a safe and potentially helpful addition to standard care after this type of emergency heart surgery. However, because this is the first study of its kind, it should be considered preliminary evidence. Patients and doctors should discuss whether this treatment is available and appropriate for individual cases. The treatment seems most promising for helping the digestive system recover faster in the first few days after surgery. More research is needed before this becomes standard practice everywhere.

This research is most relevant to patients who need emergency surgery for a torn aorta (acute type A aortic dissection) and their families. Heart surgeons and intensive care doctors should be aware of this potential treatment option. The findings may also be interesting to researchers studying digestive recovery after other major surgeries. People with other types of digestive problems or those having different types of surgery should not assume this treatment will help them without consulting their doctor.

Based on this study, the main benefits appear within the first few days after surgery—patients recovered digestive function about 2 days faster. Improvements in symptoms and quality of life were measured over the first several weeks after surgery. Patients should not expect immediate results but rather a faster return to normal digestive function compared to standard care alone. Long-term benefits beyond the hospital stay are not yet known.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • For patients recovering from this surgery, track daily: (1) ability to eat solid foods (none/liquids only/soft foods/regular foods), (2) bowel movement frequency and consistency, and (3) digestive symptoms on a scale of 0-10 (bloating, nausea, cramping). Record the date electrical stimulation treatment starts and ends to correlate with symptom improvements.
  • If receiving this treatment, work with your medical team to: (1) keep electrode pads clean and in place as directed, (2) follow the recommended treatment schedule consistently, (3) gradually increase food intake as tolerated while receiving treatment, and (4) report any skin irritation from the pads immediately to your care team.
  • Create a simple daily log during the first 2-3 weeks after surgery tracking: date, ability to eat (scale 1-5), bowel movement yes/no, symptom severity (0-10), and any side effects. Share this log with your surgical team at follow-up appointments. This helps identify whether the electrical stimulation is working for your individual recovery and allows your doctor to adjust treatment if needed.

This research describes a new treatment approach for digestive problems after emergency heart surgery. These findings are preliminary and based on one study of 74 patients. This treatment should only be considered under the guidance of your heart surgeon and medical team. Do not attempt to use electrical stimulation devices on your own without medical supervision. If you are facing this type of surgery or have had it recently, discuss all treatment options, including this electrical stimulation approach, with your surgical team. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.