Influence of postoperative enteral nutrition on postsurgical infections.

Abstract

Background-This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that early enteral nutrition might reduce the incidence of serious complications after major abdominal surgery.

Enteral/Oral Glutamine Supplementation in Patients Following Surgery and Accidental Injury

“…Hence, "malnutrition matters" and "nutrition is the cutting edge in surgery [5]." Enteral nutrition has been known to bring about reduction in infectious complications in post major abdominal surgery [6]. Previous systematic reviews and meta-analysis have suggested that immune nutrition in critically ill have been associated with reduced hospital stay, infection rate, and inflammatory response [7].…”

Limitations of nutrient intake. The effect of stressors: trauma, sepsis and multiple organ failure

“…The evidence that the same bene®ts apply in man is less convincing, although early enteral feeding after surgery for major abdominal trauma has been shown to be associated with a lower incidence of septic complications compared with patients treated conventionally (Moore & Jones, 1986) (initially nil by mouth) or fed parenterally (Moore et al, 1989). Evidence is also accumulating from some studies (Carr et al, 1966;Beier-Holgersen & Boesby, 1996), but not all (Reynolds et al, 1997), that early enteral feeding after elective abdominal surgery may be associated with a lower incidence of postoperative complications compared with the conventional management of allowing a normal intake to be resumed spontaneously.…”

Malnutrition in hospital: the case of the stroke patient

“…1986;Jeejeebhoy, 1988). The increased incidence of pneumonia in post-operative patients, who were not malnourished but fasted for 5 days in the post-operative period, compared with the study group, who received immediate post-operative enteral nutrition, suggests that even temporary nutrient withdrawal from the intestinal tract may lead to a reduction in the efficacy of the immune system (Beier-Holgerson & Boesby, 1996). The only readily-available functional measurements, of organ function as indicators of nutritional status, including techniques for measuring muscle power such as dynamornetry and pulmonary function tests, are not suitable for the stroke patients.…”