10-day versus 6-week low-residue diet after colon resection with an anastomosis
Official title: Early Introduction of Regular Diet Versus Extended Low Residue Restriction After Colon Surgery
Run by Northwell Health · NCT07083076 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will test whether returning to a regular diet after 10 days instead of staying on a low-residue diet for 6 weeks helps people recover bowel function faster after elective colon resection with an anastomosis.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 222 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Northwell Health Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Manhasset, New York and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 19, 2025 |
| Main results expected | July 1, 2026 |
| Study ends | July 1, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | September 24, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07083076 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults undergoing elective colon resection with an anastomosis who will follow the standard enhanced recovery postoperative protocol and can attend follow-up at the study sites are eligible.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who have an ostomy, emergency surgery, cannot follow the enhanced recovery protocol, are under 18, or belong to excluded vulnerable groups are unlikely to benefit from or be eligible for this comparison.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Adults having elective colon resection with an anastomosis are randomized after surgery to either a 10-day or a 6-week low-residue diet restriction. Participants complete validated surveys on bowel function and health-related quality of life before surgery and at 1 week, 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months after surgery. The trial tracks time to return of normal bowel function and compares complication rates, including anastomotic leakage, between the two groups. Patients with ostomies, emergency surgeries, or those not following the enhanced recovery protocol are excluded, and enrollment and follow-up occur at two Northwell Health hospitals in New York.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could return to normal eating and bowel habits sooner and have better bowel-related quality of life without an increased risk of complications.
How similar studies have gone: Prior literature linking early stool burden to anastomotic risk is limited and variable, and the direct comparison of a 10-day versus 6-week low-residue period is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients who have elective colon resection with anastomosis Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have an ostomy as part of their surgery * Patients who undergo emergency surgery * Patients who do not follow the enhanced recovery protocol (the standard postoperative protocol for patients undergoing elective colon resection) * Patients less than 18 years of age * Vulnerable populations: fetuses, pregnant women, children, cognitively impaired, hospital employees, students, healthy controls, prisoners, and other institutionalized individuals
Where it's running
-
North Shore University Hospital
Manhasset, New York, United States Recruiting -
Long Island Jewish Hospital
New Hyde Park, New York, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Andrea Zimmern, MD — Northwell Health
- Study coordinator: Andrea Zimmern, MD
- Email: azimmern@northwell.edu
- Phone: 516-730-2100
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Signia circular stapler for left-sided colon, sigmoid, and rectal resections
This study will try the Signia circular stapler with Tri-Staple technology to see if it safely creates bowel reconnections in adults having left-sided colon, sigmoid, or rectal surgery.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.