Intestinal Rehabilitation Plan for Patients with Colorectal Cancer During the Perioperative Period: An Evidence Synthesis

Yatian Jia,1 Wenxia Ma,1 Jun Zhao,1 QingMei Niu,1,2 Qian Zhang,1,2 Liping Cui1,2 1Nursing Department, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Taiyuan, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Nursing, Shanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Jinzhong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Wenxia Ma, Nursing Department, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Taiyuan, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: To retrieve, evaluate, and synthesize the best available evidence regarding perioperative intestinal rehabilitation programs for patients with colorectal cancer, and to provide a reference for clinical nursing practice.Methods: A systematic search was conducted in BMJ Best Practice, GIN, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, Medline (via PubMed), the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, VIP Database, China Biology Medicine disc (CBM), and the Chinese Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition of the Chinese Medical Association. The search encompassed clinical guidelines, evidence summaries, systematic reviews, expert consensus statements, and other relevant evidence pertaining to intestinal management in patients following colorectal cancer surgery. The retrieval period spanned from the inception of each database to August 2025. Two researchers with training in evidence-based practice independently assessed the methodological quality of the included studies, followed by data extraction and thematic synthesis of the evidence.Results: A total of 16 articles were included, comprising 2 guidelines, 9 systematic reviews, 3 evidence summaries, and 2 expert consensus documents. The evidence was synthesized across six domains: preoperative nutritional management, prehabilitation and bowel preparation, intraoperative surgical management, postoperative nutritional support, postoperative mobility management, and management of drains and symptoms. A total of 23 evidence-based recommendations were identified and summarized.Conclusion: This study synthesizes the current evidence regarding intestinal rehabilitation programs for patients with colorectal cancer during the perioperative period. Nursing professionals should critically evaluate clinical contexts, apply evidence-based practices, and develop scientifically sound, individualized intestinal rehabilitation protocols. Such an approach supports the advancement of a nursing-led, multidisciplinary model of personalized rehabilitation, thereby enhancing both nursing quality and patient recovery outcomes.Keywords: colorectal cancer, intestinal management, intestinal rehabilitation, nutritional management, evidence summary