Status of Nutritional Support after Emergency Gastrointestinal Surgery in Korea: Retrospective Multicenter Study

Abstract

Purpose: Surgery itself causes an inflammatory response to an injury to the patient that leads to a stress metabolic state. Emergency gastrointestinal surgery may cause complications, such as ileus, bowel obstruction, ischemia, or anastomotic leakage, resulting in a delayed oral diet or poor overall nutrition. This study investigated the route of nutrition for patients who underwent emergency gastrointestinal surgery and when to provide nutrition after surgery. Materials and Methods: Ten hospitals collected data retrospectively on the nutritional status and nutritional status of patients undergoing emergency gastrointestinal surgery for one year from January to December 2016. The clinical outcomes of the nutrient supply method, duration of supply, and type of surgery were performed. The dates from the time of surgery to the start of enteral nutrition, oral nutrition, and parenteral nutrition were calculated. Results: Of 706 patients, there were 187 (26.5%) trauma patients, of which 63.5% were male. The onset of nutrition began after an average of 10.7 days postoperatively and after an average of 12.1 days of enteral nutrition. On average, it took 7.7 days to provide adequate calories, of which 63.3% had achieved adequate calories within a week. In the case of minimally invasive surgery, such as laparoscopic surgery, the adequate calorie supply time was five days, which was reached within one week. Conclusion: In a retrospective multicenter analysis, the patients who underwent emergency gastrointestinal surgery had a late start of oral or enteral nutrition, and the ratio of adequate calorie supply within a week was low. (Surg Metab Nutr 2020;11:1-6)