Is Early Oral Feeding Safe After Elective Colorectal Surgery? A Prospective Randomized Trial

Authors:
  • TTTiong-Ann Teoh
    Tiong-Ann Teoh
  • SCStephen M. Cohen
    Stephen M. Cohen
  • EWEric G. Weiss
    Eric G. Weiss
  • JNJuan J. Nogueras
    Juan J. Nogueras
  • SWSteven D. Wexner
    Steven D. Wexner
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The routine use of a nasogastric tube after elective colorectal surgery is no longer mandatory. More recently, early feeding after laparoscopic colectomy has been shown to be safe and well tolerated. Therefore, the aim of our study was to prospectively assess the safety and tolerability of early oral feeding after elective “open” abdominal colorectal operations. One hundred sixty-one consecutive patients were studied, 80 patients in group 1 (34 maies and 46 females, mean age 51 years [range 16–82 years]), and 81 patients in group 2 (43 males and 38 females, mean age 56 years [range 20–90 years]). Sixty-three patients (79%) in the early feeding group tolerated the early feeding schedule and were advanced to regular diet within the next 24 to 48 hours. There were no significant differences between the early and regular feeding groups in the rate of vomiting (21% vs. 14%), nasogastric tube reinsertion (11% vs. 10%), length of lieus (3.8 ± 0.1 days vs. 4.1 ± 0.1 days), length of hospitalization (6.2 ± 0.2 days vs. 6.8 ± 0.2 days), or overall complications (7.5% vs. 6.1%), respectively, (p = NS for all). However, the patients in the early feeding group tolerated a regular diet significantly earlier than did the patients in the regular feeding group (2.6 ± 0.1 days vs. 5 ± 0.1 days; p < 0.001). Early oral feeding after elective colorectal surgery is safe and can be tolerated by the majority of patients. Thus, it may become a routine feature of postoperative management in these patients.

This publication has 32 references indexed in Scilit: