Postoperative ileus is a well-known problem for patients who have undergone a colorectal procedure. It is manifested as abdominal distension, accumulation of gas and fluid within the bowels and delayed bowel function (flatus or defecation). It is estimated that with traditional perioperative care for open colon resection postoperative ileus can lead to a length of stay (LOS) of 10 days. Such factors include the use of narcotics, immobilization, over-hydration with IV fluid etc. With about 350,000 colon and small bowel resections occurring annually and a bill to the healthcare system greater than US $20 billion, even decreasing LOS by one or two days can result in substantial cost savings.