Analysis of the post-operative earlier enteral nutrition support in surgically-stressed patients
- VernacularTitle:术后早期应用肠内营养五例报告
- Author:
Ge, ZHANG
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:
Chinese Journal of Clinical Nutrition
2000;8(1):65-66
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
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Abstract:
Objective It has been demonstrated that para-operative fasting often induce gastrointestinal mucosal atrophy, that, together with the surgically-stress effects, deteriorate the intestinal harrier structure and may further cause gut-origin infection. Parenteral nutrition has been widely employed in the patients undergone surgery or with trauma as a standard nutritional support in many hospitals. It can provide sufficient nutrients, including calories, nitrogen, and minerals for the daily and extra needs during the stress. However, numbers of investigations have proven that long term parenteral nutrition support has no effects on preventing intestinal mucosa atrophy, but indeed, consistently result in down-regulation of mucosal structure. It has been widely accepted in the clinic that enteral nutrition should be chosen as a priority mean, as to parenteral nutrition, to support the patients whenever they can tolerant. However, there are few reports concerning earlier use of enteral nutrition in post-operative patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of postoperative earlier enteral nutrition support (24~36 hours) on the patients undergone major surgery. The cases with earlier enteral nutrition feeding during last three years were reviewed and the feeding method, the effectiveness, and the complications of earlier feeding were investigated. In five cases, with two of proximal small intestine fistula, three of pancreas, duodenal injury, the total effectiveness was satisfactory. All patients gained wight and the nutritional states were much improved. The initial disease of the patients with earlier feeding were all cured within the time periods which were significantly shorter than those who had ordinary post-operative feeding. Only one case among five had mild nausea during the feeding, and was settled after anti-nauseas medications. Two cases with proximal small intestine fistula were recovered in four weeks time. We thus conclude that earlier enteral feeding post-operatively is a safe and effective method for those who have major surgery. It benefits bowel barrier function and further improves the recovery after surgery. Besides, earlier enteral feeding is less costly compared to parenteral nutrition, and easy to operate. A more case-based, prospective controlled clinical study should be organized in the future to further evaluate the usefulness of earlier enteral feeding in the patients with surgery.