post-op complications following partial colectomy

My mother-in-law is 5 days post-op after a partial colectomy. Clear liquids were introduced on 3rd day post-op. She has been experiencing nausea and vomiting since then. The doctors are contemplating parenteral nutrition via PEG tube. Should the family be concerned, or is this a common complication?

[Morecambe]

Your mother-in-law may be experiencing an ileus which, simply described, is a reluctance by the intestines to re-start following their manipulation during surgery.

Ask the surgeon about this - I believe that there may be drugs that can be administered if the condition continues.  Otherwise the medical team may be able to insert a nasal-gastric tube via which stomach juices (bile??) can be extracted so as to reduce the cause of the nausea until the intestines "restart".

regards
Morecambe
.