Effect of Postoperative Nutritional Support on .I ) the Nutritional Status of Gastrointestinal -. Surgery Patients

Abstract

The field of nutrition support constitutes specialized delivery of nutrients to patients unable to take adequate oral intake. Nutritional support is delivered either intravenously through centrally placed catheters or enterally through tubes placed in the stomach or small bowel. Nutritional support leads to improved nutritional status and clinical outcome in severely depleted patients. Although giving nutrition support before and after surgery can decrease postoperative morbidity and mortality, several studies showed that certain subsets of surgical patients suffer worse outcomes with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) than with standard care. Therefore it is important to carefully choose which patients should receive nutrition support and by what route.