Early vs Traditional Postoperative Feeding in Patients Undergoing Small Bowel Surgery

Purpose: The postoperative management of patients undergoing gastrointestinal (GI) surgery was followed by keeping them ‘nil by mouth' and provide gastric decompression via a nasogastric tube (NGT) until the postoperative ileus resolves and bowel function resumes. Early feeding and recovery are being portrayed as the new solution for these problems. To compare the outcomes in early vs traditional postoperative feeding in patients undergoing small bowel surgery. Methodology: Study design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Department of General Surgery, Services Hospital Lahore. Data collection: The sample size is calculated as 60 (30 in each group), by using WHO sample size calculator by keeping the confidence interval equal to 95%, power equal to 80%, and hospital stay as 4 ± 0.64 days vs. 6.1 ± 0.84 days in early vs late feeding group respectively. Findings: In group A, the mean age of was 33.59±9.34 years and in group B, the mean age of was 34.76±9.87 years. In group A, there were 14 (46.7%) males and 16 (53.3%) females. In group B, there were 14 (46.7%) males and 16 (53.3%) females. In group A, the mean duration of surgery was 59.17±17.28 min. In group B, the mean duration of surgery was 57.17±16.54 min. In group A, there were 4 (13.3%) patients who had postoperative vomiting. In group B, there were 13 (43.3%) patients who had postoperative vomiting (p<0.05). In group A, there were 3 (10%) patients who had postoperative anatomic leak. In group B, there were 5 (16.7%) patients who had postoperative anatomic leak (p>0.05).In group A, the mean time to pass first stool was 4.14±0.90 days. In group B, the mean time to pass first stool was 6.42±1.09 days (p<0.05). In group A, the mean hospital stay was 4.76±0.73 days. In group B, the mean hospital stay was 6.83±1.34 days (p<0.05). Recommendations: The conclusion of the study that early feeding cases are beneficial as compare to conventional (delayed) feeding. It reduces infection complications and length of hospital stay.