Postoperative starvation after gastrointestinal surgery

doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7316.761

BMJ 2001;323:761-762 ( 6 October )

Editorials

Postoperative starvation after gastrointestinal surgery

Early feeding is beneficial

Papers p 773

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The widespread practice of starving patients in the immediate period after gastrointestinal surgery has been challenged bya systematic review and meta-analysis in this issue (p 773), whichfinds that "nil by mouth" after gastrointestinal surgery may notbe beneficial.¹ Further, the apparently beneficial effectsof early postoperative enteral feeding on infection rates andlength of stay in hospital are compelling arguments in favourof a change in clinicalpractice.

The rationale of nil by mouth and gastric decompression is to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting and protect the anastomosis,allowing it time to heal before being stressed by food. Nauseaand vomiting, however, occur more commonly after upper gastrointestinalsurgery than after resection of the small intestine and colon.In our clinical experience nasogastric decompression can usuallybe discontinued 12-24 hours after resection of the small intestineandcolon.

There is no evidence that bowel rest and a period . . . [Full text of this article]

CiteULike

Complore

Connotea

Del.icio.us Add to Digg

Digg

StumbleUpon Add to Technorati

Technorati

Twitter What's this?

Relevant Article

Early enteral feeding versus "nil by mouth" after gastrointestinal surgery: systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials: Stephen J Lewis, Matthias Egger, Paul A Sylvester, and Steven Thomas
BMJ 2001 323: 773. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

Edwards, A, Elwyn, G, Hood, K, Atwell, C, Robling, M, Houston, H, Kinnersley, P, Russell, I, the Study Steering Group, (2004). Patient-based outcome results from a cluster randomized trial of shared decision making skill development and use of risk communication aids in general practice. Fam Pract 21: 347-354 [Abstract] [Full text]
Marik, P. E, Zaloga, G. P (2004). Meta-analysis of parenteral nutrition versus enteral nutrition in patients with acute pancreatitis. BMJ 328: 1407- [Abstract] [Full text]
Bozzetti, F, Mariani, L, Goodfellow, P B, Everitt, N J, Lewis, S. J, Egger, M., Sylvester, P. A, Thomas, S., Fawcett, W J, Jewsbury, W E J, Moynagh, P. (2002). Postoperative starvation after gastrointestinal surgery. BMJ 324: 481-481 [Full text]
(2001). Early Feeding After Gastrointestinal Surgery Probably Is a Good Idea. JWatch General 2001: 7-7 [Full text]