[Parenteral, enteral or combined parenteral and enteral nutrition]

Goeters C

Abstract

Perioperatively early oral food intake is achieved in most cases. A temporary protein and energy deficit is rarely associated with increased complication rates. Concerning the route of nutritional support there is no difference in mortality but in complication rates. The enteral food ingestion (oral, gastral, jejunal) seems to be superior the intravenous one. But in case of gastrointestinal failure nutritional support is limited to the intravenous route. Increasingly a combined parenteral and enteral nutrition is proposed in cases of malnutrition or expected perioperative complications with delayed enteral food ingestion. Up to now there is no good scientific evidence for such approach.