Post Operative PatientsNCT07618559
The Food Network Effect
A study testing Food Related Visual Stimuli Exposure in people with Post Operative Patients, run by Casey Morehouse, DO at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if exposure to food related visual stimuli during the postoperative period can improve gastrointestinal recovery after abdominal surgery in adult patients.The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Post Operative Patients
- What is being tested?
- Food Related Visual Stimuli Exposure
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 150 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Jul 2026to 1 Sep 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adult patients aged ≥18 years
- Undergoing abdominal surgery (including general, colorectal, trauma, or surgical oncology procedures) requiring inpatient post operative admission
- Able to participate in the intervention, including engaging with television based stimuli
- Able to follow simple instructions in the postoperative period
Who cannot join
- Critical illness requiring ICU-level care beyond the immediate postoperative period
- Mechanical ventilation (intubated patients)
- Requirement for high-level non-invasive ventilation (BiPAP for respiratory failure)
- Hemodynamic instability requiring vasopressor support
- Life support measures, including continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) or ECMO
- Altered mental status impairing participation (delirium requiring restraints)
- Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) < 13 or inability to follow commands
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Prisma Health Midlands
Columbia, South Carolina, 29203
Casey Morehouse, DO, 8034130578, cmmorehouse@gmail.com
Dominick Ricci, DO
About this study
Official title: The Food Network Effect: A Study of Food Related Visual Stimuli and Postoperative Gastrointestinal Recovery
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if exposure to food related visual stimuli during the postoperative period can improve gastrointestinal recovery after abdominal surgery in adult patients.The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does structured exposure to food related television programming shorten the time to return of bowel function after surgery?
- Does exposure to food related visual stimuli reduce postoperative ileus and improve recovery related outcomes such as hospital length of stay, appetite, patient satisfaction, and medication use?
Read more
Researchers will compare patients receiving structured food related programming during meal periods with patients receiving standard postoperative care to see if food related visual stimulation improves postoperative gastrointestinal recovery.
Participants will:
- Be randomly assigned to either a food-programming group or a standard care group
- Watch food-related television programming for at least 15 minutes during scheduled meal-time periods if assigned to the intervention group
- Have daily collection of routine postoperative information, including bowel function, medication use, and diet progression
- Complete brief optional questions regarding appetite and satisfaction during hospitalization
Read the detailed description
Postoperative ileus and delayed return of gastrointestinal function remain common complications following abdominal surgery and contribute to patient discomfort, prolonged hospitalization, and increased healthcare utilization. Despite advances in perioperative management and implementation of enhanced recovery protocols, impaired bowel function after surgery continues to affect recovery. Early enteral stimulation has been associated with improved gastrointestinal recovery; however, many patients experience appetite suppression or difficulty tolerating oral intake during the immediate postoperative period.
Digestive activity is influenced by the cephalic phase response, a physiologic process in which sensory cues associated with food can activate neural pathways involved in digestion prior to food consumption. Visual food cues have been shown to affect appetite and physiologic responses related to feeding behavior, suggesting a potential mechanism through which noninvasive sensory stimulation could influence postoperative gastrointestinal recovery.
This study evaluates a structured behavioral intervention using food-related television programming during peri-meal periods as an adjunct to routine postoperative care. Participants will be prospectively randomized to receive either scheduled exposure to food-related visual stimuli or standard postoperative care. The intervention is designed to provide a simple, low-cost, non-pharmacologic strategy that can be implemented using existing hospital resources without altering routine clinical management.
The findings from this study may provide insight into whether sensory stimulation through visual food exposure can enhance postoperative recovery and serve as a scalable adjunct to current perioperative care practices
- Conditions
- Post Operative Patients
- Being tested
- Food Related Visual Stimuli Exposure
- Keywords
- recovery after abdominal surgery, ileus, return of bowel function, eras protocol
- Medical subject headings
- Ileus
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Food Related Visual Stimuli ExposureBehavioural
This intervention consists of a structured, non-pharmacologic behavioral exposure to food related visual stimuli delivered during predefined peri-meal periods throughout the postoperative hospitalization. Participants will view food centered television programming (e.g., cooking, baking, or food preparation shows) for a minimum of 15 minutes during each designated meal window: breakfast (7:00-9:00 AM), lunch (12:00-2:00 PM), and dinner (5:00-7:00 PM).
Unlike standard television viewing or unrestricted media use, the intervention uses scheduled exposure to food-specific visual content intended to provide cephalic phase sensory stimulation during times corresponding with routine eating periods. The intervention is delivered using existing hospital television resources and does not involve medications, dietary modification, invasive procedures, or additional medical devices. Adherence will be assessed through participant self-report and periodic study team monitoring.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Food Related TV | Experimental | Participants randomized to the intervention arm will receive standard postoperative care in addition to a structured behavioral intervention consisting of exposure to food-related visual stimuli during defined peri-meal periods throughout their postoperative hospitalization. Participants will be asked to watch food related television programming (e.g., cooking, baking, or food-centered shows) for a minimum of 15 minutes during each designated meal window: breakfast (7:00-9:00 AM), lunch (12:00-2:00 PM), and dinner (5:00-7:00 PM).
Programming will be delivered using existing in-room hospital television resources and will not alter routine clinical care or dietary management. Compliance with the intervention will be monitored through participant self-report and periodic study team check-ins. Participants will continue all standard postoperative management according to routine clinical practice Receives: Behavioral: Food Related Visual Stimuli Exposure |
| Non-modified postoperative recovery | No intervention | Participants randomized to the no-intervention (control) arm will receive standard postoperative care according to routine clinical practice without structured exposure to food-related visual stimuli. Participants may watch television at their discretion during hospitalization; however, they will not receive prompts, assigned programming, or scheduled meal-time viewing instructions. No restrictions will be placed on normal television use or activities during recovery. All other perioperative and postoperative care will remain unchanged and will be managed according to standard clinical protocols |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Incidence of postoperative ileus
Measured: Until hospital discharge, can vary from 2-10 days
Return of bowel function
measured by time to first flatus and/or time to first bowel movement;
Measured: from enrollment to the end of admission, can vary from 2-10 days
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Jun 2026
- Study start1 Jul 2026
- Primary completion1 Jul 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Sep 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Post Operative PatientsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Casey Morehouse, DO
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Prisma Health-Midlands
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Casey Morehouse, DO, Prisma Health-Midlands
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07618559
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2442405-1
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 24 May 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data collected during this study will not be shared outside of the research team. De-identified aggregate study results may be reported in presentations or publications, but individual level participant data will not be made publicly available
Publications
Wagner M, Probst P, Haselbeck-Kobler M, Brandenburg JM, Kalkum E, Storzinger D, Kessler J, Simon JJ, Friederich HC, Angelescu M, Billeter AT, Hackert T, Muller-Stich BP, Buchler MW. The Problem of Appetite Loss After Major Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review. Ann Surg. 2022 Aug 1;276(2):256-269. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005379. Epub 2022 Jan 27.
PubMed 35129465Vather R, O'Grady G, Bissett IP, Dinning PG. Postoperative ileus: mechanisms and future directions for research. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2014 May;41(5):358-70. doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.12220.
PubMed 24754527Garg D, Smith E, Attuquayefio T. Watching Television While Eating Increases Food Intake: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies. Nutrients. 2025 Jan 2;17(1):166. doi: 10.3390/nu17010166.
PubMed 39796600
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Food Network Effect: A Study of Food Related Visual Stimuli and Postoperative Gastrointestinal Recovery
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07618559
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2442405-1
- Conditions
- Post Operative Patients
- Keywords
- recovery after abdominal surgery, ileus, return of bowel function, eras protocol
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Casey Morehouse, DOUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Prisma Health-Midlands
- Study start
- 1 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jul 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 1 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if exposure to food related visual stimuli during the postoperative period can improve gastrointestinal recovery after abdominal surgery in adult patients.The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does structured exposure to food related television programming shorten the time to return of bowel function after surgery?
- Does exposure to food related visual stimuli reduce postoperative ileus and improve recovery related outcomes such as hospital length of stay, appetite, patient satisfaction, and medication use?
Researchers will compare patients receiving structured food related programming during meal periods with patients receiving standard postoperative care to see if food related visual stimulation improves postoperative gastrointestinal recovery.
Participants will:
- Be randomly assigned to either a food-programming group or a standard care group
- Watch food-related television programming for at least 15 minutes during scheduled meal-time periods if assigned to the intervention group
- Have daily collection of routine postoperative information, including bowel function, medication use, and diet progression
- Complete brief optional questions regarding appetite and satisfaction during hospitalization
Detailed description
Postoperative ileus and delayed return of gastrointestinal function remain common complications following abdominal surgery and contribute to patient discomfort, prolonged hospitalization, and increased healthcare utilization. Despite advances in perioperative management and implementation of enhanced recovery protocols, impaired bowel function after surgery continues to affect recovery. Early enteral stimulation has been associated with improved gastrointestinal recovery; however, many patients experience appetite suppression or difficulty tolerating oral intake during the immediate postoperative period.
Digestive activity is influenced by the cephalic phase response, a physiologic process in which sensory cues associated with food can activate neural pathways involved in digestion prior to food consumption. Visual food cues have been shown to affect appetite and physiologic responses related to feeding behavior, suggesting a potential mechanism through which noninvasive sensory stimulation could influence postoperative gastrointestinal recovery.
This study evaluates a structured behavioral intervention using food-related television programming during peri-meal periods as an adjunct to routine postoperative care. Participants will be prospectively randomized to receive either scheduled exposure to food-related visual stimuli or standard postoperative care. The intervention is designed to provide a simple, low-cost, non-pharmacologic strategy that can be implemented using existing hospital resources without altering routine clinical management.
The findings from this study may provide insight into whether sensory stimulation through visual food exposure can enhance postoperative recovery and serve as a scalable adjunct to current perioperative care practices
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Food Related TV | Experimental | Behavioral: Food Related Visual Stimuli ExposureParticipants randomized to the intervention arm will receive standard postoperative care in addition to a structured behavioral intervention consisting of exposure to food-related visual stimuli during defined peri-meal periods throughout their postoperative hospitalization. Participants will be asked to watch food related television programming (e.g., cooking, baking, or food-centered shows) for a minimum of 15 minutes during each designated meal window: breakfast (7:00-9:00 AM), lunch (12:00-2:00 PM), and dinner (5:00-7:00 PM). Programming will be delivered using existing in-room hospital television resources and will not alter routine clinical care or dietary management. Compliance with the intervention will be monitored through participant self-report and periodic study team check-ins. Participants will continue all standard postoperative management according to routine clinical practice |
| Non-modified postoperative recovery | No intervention | –Participants randomized to the no-intervention (control) arm will receive standard postoperative care according to routine clinical practice without structured exposure to food-related visual stimuli. Participants may watch television at their discretion during hospitalization; however, they will not receive prompts, assigned programming, or scheduled meal-time viewing instructions. No restrictions will be placed on normal television use or activities during recovery. All other perioperative and postoperative care will remain unchanged and will be managed according to standard clinical protocols |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Adult patients aged ≥18 years
- Undergoing abdominal surgery (including general, colorectal, trauma, or surgical oncology procedures) requiring inpatient post operative admission
- Able to participate in the intervention, including engaging with television based stimuli
- Able to follow simple instructions in the postoperative period
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Critical illness requiring ICU-level care beyond the immediate postoperative period
- Mechanical ventilation (intubated patients)
- Requirement for high-level non-invasive ventilation (BiPAP for respiratory failure)
- Hemodynamic instability requiring vasopressor support
- Life support measures, including continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) or ECMO
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Food Related Visual Stimuli ExposureThis intervention consists of a structured, non-pharmacologic behavioral exposure to food related visual stimuli delivered during predefined peri-meal periods throughout the postoperative hospitalization. Participants will view food centered television programming (e.g., cooking, baking, or food preparation shows) for a minimum of 15 minutes during each designated meal window: breakfast (7:00-9:00 AM), lunch (12:00-2:00 PM), and dinner (5:00-7:00 PM). Unlike standard television viewing or unrestricted media use, the intervention uses scheduled exposure to food-specific visual content intended to provide cephalic phase sensory stimulation during times corresponding with routine eating periods. The intervention is delivered using existing hospital television resources and does not involve medications, dietary modification, invasive procedures, or additional medical devices. Adherence will be assessed through participant self-report and periodic study team monitoring. | Behavioural | Food Related TV |
Primary outcome
Incidence of postoperative ileus
Time frame: Until hospital discharge, can vary from 2-10 days
Return of bowel function
Time frame: from enrollment to the end of admission, can vary from 2-10 days
measured by time to first flatus and/or time to first bowel movement;
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 21 Oct 2026.
- Background: PubMed 35129465Wagner M, Probst P, Haselbeck-Kobler M, Brandenburg JM, Kalkum E, Storzinger D, Kessler J, Simon JJ, Friederich HC, Angelescu M, Billeter AT, Hackert T, Muller-Stich BP, Buchler MW. The Problem of Appetite Loss After Major Abdominal Surgery: A Systematic Review. Ann Surg. 2022 Aug 1;276(2):256-269. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005379. Epub 2022 Jan 27.
- Background: PubMed 24754527Vather R, O'Grady G, Bissett IP, Dinning PG. Postoperative ileus: mechanisms and future directions for research. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2014 May;41(5):358-70. doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.12220.
- Background: PubMed 39796600Garg D, Smith E, Attuquayefio T. Watching Television While Eating Increases Food Intake: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Experimental Studies. Nutrients. 2025 Jan 2;17(1):166. doi: 10.3390/nu17010166.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data collected during this study will not be shared outside of the research team. De-identified aggregate study results may be reported in presentations or publications, but individual level participant data will not be made publicly available
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Food Related Visual Stimuli Exposure in people with Post Operative Patients, run by Casey Morehouse, DO at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Casey M Morehouse, DO (8034130578, cmmorehouse@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Incidence of postoperative ileus (time frame: Until hospital discharge, can vary from 2-10 days). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07618559, which also lists 3 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Oct 2026.