Managing the risk of malnutrition is important when dealing with surgical patients and those with gastrointestinal diseases. Perioperative nutrition should be considered to maintain a good nutritional status – not least to be able to avoid postoperative complications but also to trigger positive effects on the general well-being of the patient.1
Malnutrition plays a decisive role as an independent risk factor regarding postoperative complications. Gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s disease also present nutritional risk, and inversely nutrition can play a major role coping with such diseases. Enteral nutrition can help to maintain and improve the nutritional status, which in addition has positive effects on the patients’ quality of life.2,3
Clinical summary: Presentation/Clinical history
Mrs M, 38 years, teacher, current weight: 53.6 kg (BMI: 19.9 kg/m2)
Diagnosis: Admitted as an emergency due to a perforated bowel
Past medical history: cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA), constipation
BMI low, at nutritional risk
Outcome: 2 months post discharge
Download the complete and detailed patient case here
Download the complete and detailed patient case here
Clinical summary: Presentation/Clinical history
Mr N, 19 years, student, current weight: 64.7 kg (BMI: 21.1 kg/m2)
Diagnosis: Cystic fibrosis admitted for a lung transplant
Past medical history: Cystic fibrosis, previous PEG in childhood
Poor oral intake
Outcome: 2 months later
Download the complete and detailed patient case here
Download the complete and detailed patient case here
Clinical summary: Presentation/Clinical history
Mrs P, 65 years, retired nurse, current weight: 98 kg (BMI: 36.0 kg/m2)
Diagnosis: Myocardial infarction and subsequent cardiac surgery
Past medical history: angina, hypertension, high cholesterol
No weight loss, not progressing to oral diet following surgery
Outcome: 1 month post discharge
Download the complete and detailed patient case here
Download the complete and detailed patient case here
Clinical summary: Presentation/Clinical history
Mr R, 43 years, banker, current weight: 66.4 kg (BMI: 20.2 kg/m2)
Diagnosis: Crohn’s disease, admitted for surgical assessment
Past medical history: Crohn’s disease (8 years), inflammatory colon
stricture (18 months ago), osteoporosis
Weight loss 12.1% in past 3 months
Outcome: Week 12
Download the complete and detailed patient case here
Download the complete and detailed patient case here
The following four example cases illustrate how different patients undergoing surgery and/or treatment for gastrointestinal diseases may benefit from tube feeding:
What Fresubin can do for your patients.
Fresubin tube feeding in surgical and gastrointestional patients. What Fresubin can do for your patients.
References:
1) Lochs H, Dejong C, Hammarqvist F, Hébuterne X, Leon-Sanz M, Schütz T, et al. ESPEN Guidelines on Enteral Nutrition: Gastroenterology. Clin Nutr. 2006;25(2):260–274.
2) Turck D, Braegger CP, Colombo C, Declercq D, Morton A, Pancheva R, et al. ESPENESPGHAN-ECFS guidelines on nutrition care for infants, children, and adults with cystic
fibrosis. Clin Nutr. 2016;35(3):557–577.
3) Braga M, Ljungqvist O, Soeters P, Fearon K, Weimann A, Bozzetti F. ESPEN Guidelines on Parenteral Nutrition: surgery. Clin Nutr. 2009;28(4):378–386.
