Dexpanthenol is indicated in the following conditions-

• Prophylactic use immediately after major abdominal surgery to minimize the possibility of paralytic ileus
• Intestinal atony causing abdominal distention
• postoperative or postpartum retention of flatus
• postoperative delay in resumption of intestinal motility
• paralytic ileus

Ileus

• To prevent adynamic ileus after surgery, 250 mg (1 mL) or 500 mg (2 mL) of Dexpanthenol Injection can be given intramuscularly. This can be repeated every 2 hours, with subsequent doses every 6 hours until the risk of adynamic ileus has passed.
• To treat adynamic ileus, 500 mg (2 mL) of Dexpanthenol Injection can be given intramuscularly, with subsequent doses given every 2 hours and then every 6 hours as needed.
• For intravenous administration, 2 mL (500 mg) of Dexpanthenol Injection can be mixed with larger intravenous solutions like glucose or Lactated Ringer's and slowly infused.
• Before administration of parenteral drug products like Dexpanthenol Injection, the solution and container should be visually inspected for any discoloration or particulate matter.

Dexpanthenol rarely causes any side effects. But the following side effects have been reported-

Tingling

Itching

• There have been rare instances of allergic reactions of unknown cause during the concomitant use of Dexpanthenol Injection with drugs such as antibiotics, narcotics and barbiturates.
• Administration of Dexpanthenol Injection directly into the vein is not advised.
• Dexpanthenol Injection should not be administered within one hour of succinylcholine.
• If any signs of a hypersensitivity reaction appear, Dexpanthenol Injection should be discontinued. If ileus is a secondary consequence of mechanical obstruction, primary attention should be directed to the obstruction.
• The management of adynamic ileus includes the correction of any fluid and electrolyte imbalance (especially hypokalemia), anemia and hypoproteinemia, treatment of infection, avoidance where possible of drugs which are known to decrease gastrointestinal motility and decompression of the gastrointestinal tract when considerably distended by nasogastric suction or use of a long intestinal tube.