The flatus time was quite earlier in the needle-retaining group as compared with the other two groups [ ( 14.77 + / - 4.99 ) h vs ( 18.50 + / - 4.22 ) h , P < 0.01 ; ( 14.77 + / - 4.99 ) h vs ( 18.17 + / - 4.69 ) h , P < 0.05 ] .