The purpose of the study was to determine the effect on recovery after surgery of patients who received a standardized daily protocol of osteopathic manipulative treatment.Patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass surgery were voluntarily enrolled in the study and assigned to one of three groups.One group received a standardized daily treatment protocol along with conventional care, another received daily similar placebo treatment with conventional care, and a final group received only conventional post surgical care.The research hypothesis was that daily treatment with osteopathic manipulative treatment would reduce hospital stay and hasten recovery from surgery.Persons in the treatment group had earlier discharge, and faster recovery of bowel function and basic mobility.

Fifty-three persons were voluntarily enrolled into this randomized, double-blinded placebo controlled trial to examine the effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) on the post operative recovery of persons undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Participants were assigned randomly to one of three cohorts: one with only conventiobnal treatment, one with a daily standardized protocol of OMT and a third with a daily time matched placebo OMT protocol.All patients received standard state of the art care consistent with national standards of post CABG care. The study showed favorable trends in terms of hospital length of stay , return of bowel function, and mobility.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery who were patients of the same surgeon

Exclusion Criteria:

• prior coronary artery bypass graft procedure
• unstable psychiatric illness
• chronic pain
• open chest phenomenon
• unforeseen peri or postoperative complications