Nutr Hosp.

2010;25(5):806-809
ISSN 0212-1611 CODEN NUHOEQ
S.V.R. 318

Original

Early postoperative oral feeding impacts positively in patients undergoing

colonic resection: results of a pilot study
M. Lobato Dias Consoli, RD, MS1, L. Maciel Fonseca, MD1, R. Gomes da Silva, MD, PhD1 y
M. I. Toulson Davisson Correia, MD, PhD1.
Alfa Institute of Gastroenterology, Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Resumen
Background and aims: Early oral feeding after colorectal resections is one of the many factors that contributes to enhance recovery after surgery, mainly impacting
on postoperative ileus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of early postoperative oral feeding in
patients undergoing elective colorectal resection.
Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to either a
conventional postoperative dietary regimen or a free diet
on the first postoperative day.
Results: Altogether 29 patients were enrolled. Clinical
characteristics were similar in both groups. Good nutritional status was seen in 86% of patient in the traditional
care (TRAD) group versus 46% in the early fed (EF)
group (p<0.05). There was no difference between groups
in terms of procedures. Median hospital stay was 5.0
days in the TRAD group versus 3.0 days in the EF group
(p<0.05). Complication rates and acceptance of diet were
similar in both groups. Diarrhea occurred more frequently in the TRAD group (OR=1.86; IC95%:1.083.20).
Conclusion: Early oral intake is well tolerated, leads
to significant shorter hospital stay and does not increase
complications.

(Nutr Hosp. 2010;25:806-809)

DOI:10.3305/nh.2010.25.5.4777
Key words: Early nutrition. Postoperative ileus. Colorectal resection.

LA ALIMENTACIN ORAL PRECOZ

POSOPERATORIA TIENE UN IMPACTO POSITIVO
EN PACIENTES SOMETIDOS A RESECCIN
COLNICA: RESULTADOS DE UN ESTUDIO PILOTO
Resumen

Antecedentes y objetivos: La alimentacin oral precoz

tras las resecciones colorrectales es uno de los muchos
factores que contribuyen a favorecer la recuperacin tras
la ciruga, teniendo sobre todo una influencia en el leo
posoperatorio. El propsito de este estudio fue evaluar el
impacto de la alimentacin oral precoz posoperatoria en
pacientes sometidos a reseccin colorrectal programada.
Mtodos: Se distribuy al azar a los pacientes para
recibir un rgimen alimenticio posoperatorio convencional o una dieta libre en el primer da de posoperatorio.
Resultados: Se reclut a un total de 29 pacientes. Las
caractersticas clnicas fueron similares en ambos grupos.
Se observ buen estado nutritivo en el 86% de los pacientes
con la atencin tradicional (TRAD) frente al 46% en el
grupo con alimentacin precoz (EF) (p < 0,05). No hubo
diferencias entre los grupos con respecto a los procedimientos. La estancia media hospitalaria fue de 5,0 das en el
grupo TRAD frente a 3,0 das en el grupo EF (p < 0,05). Las
tasas de complicacin y aceptacin de la dieta fueron similares en ambos grupos. La diarrea ocurri ms frecuentemente en el grupo TRAD (OR = 1,86; IC95%: 1,08-3,20).
Conclusin: La alimentacin oral precoz se tolera bien,
conlleva una estancia hospitalaria ms corta y no
aumenta las complicaciones.

(Nutr Hosp. 2010;25:806-809)

DOI:10.3305/nh.2010.25.5.4777
Palabras clave: Nutricin precoz. leo posoperatorio. Reseccin colorrectal.

Abreviaturas
BMI = body mass index
EF = early fed group
TRAD = traditional care group
NS = non significant
PO = postoperatory
Correspondence: Marcella Lobato Dias Consoli
Rua Joo Alexandre Pires, 748/202.
Milionrios, Belo Horizonte Minas Gerais 20620-080 Brazil.
Email: maufop@yahoo.com.br
Recibido: 13-IV-2010.
Aceptado: 17-IV-2010.

806

Introduction
Fasting or diet restriction postoperatively which
contributes to exacerbation of catabolism with concomitant weight loss and muscle wasting. On the other hand, oral nutrition and early enteral nutrition can
improve the organic response to stress and thus facilitate the recovery of patients1,2. Some aspects of the perioperative care of patients undergoing colorectal
anastomosis are based on dogmas. The timing of the
reintroduction of oral diet after surgery is an example.
It has been shown that patients remain exposed to unnecessarily prolonged fasting3. In consequence, the
nutritional status is affected, which is important in

those patients previously malnourished. In addition,

the length of hospital stay and risk of complications
increases. After colon resection, patients remain in the
hospital on average six to 12 days and the complication rates range from 15% to 20%4-6. Epidural analgesia, minimally invasive surgey, antiemetic medications, early mobilization after surgery and
psychological preparation of the patient, all together,
are some of the elements associated with the diet
which have been shown to improve early postoperative results7-13. Several authors9,14 argue that although
multimodal treatment is of extreme importance, the
single contribution of each variable remains unclear,
probably due to the enormous variety of protocols for
rapid recovery. Therefore, in the current study we investigated if only early feeding in patients undergoing
colon resection contributes to a faster and more uneventful recovery and early return to normal functions
at home.
Materials and methods
From July 2006 until January 2008, patients older
than 18 years admitted for either open or laparoscopic
elective colonic resection with a primary anastomosis
were eligible for this trial. Exclusion criteria were
emergency procedures, patients who underwent Hartmanns colonic resection or with protective colostomy
and those who did not agree to participate. The study
was approved by the university and hospital ethical
committees and all patients provided written informed
consent. On admission all patients were nutritionally
assessed by subjective global assessment and body
mass index (BMI). Data were collected by a single observer. All patients received thromboprophylaxis and
perioperative antibiotics. Neither nasogastric tubes
nor intra-abdominal drains were used postoperatively.
All anesthetic procedures and agents were standardized, but epidural anesthesia was not performed. Patients were randomized to either traditional care
(TRAD) or the early fed group (EF). In both groups,
there were 12hs of nil by mouth before surgery. Postoperatively, on the 1st day, patients in the EF group received 500mL of restricted fluid as the first diet intake
and if no nausea and vomits were observed they were
able to eat a free diet, immediately thereafter. The
TRAD group received nil by mouth until flatus or
evacuation happened. All fluids in EF group were discontinued on day 1 after surgical procedure unless
there was a medical reason to do otherwise. All patients were encouraged to early mobilization starting
immediately after surgery in both groups. Patient follow up was performed daily with special attention to
nausea, emesis and other signs of diet intolerance. Criteria for insertion of a nasogastric tube were two consecutive episodes of vomiting greater than 400mL.
Discharge from the hospital was possible when patients were fully mobile, pain was controlled with only oral analgesics and tolerance of oral food was ade-

Early postoperative oral feeding impacts

positively in patients undergoing colonic
resection: results of a pilot study

quate. All patients were daily contacted by telephone

until day seven after surgery. All complications were
recorded.
Study population sample size was based on the assumption that the EF group would present at least one
day of difference in hospital stay. To achieve an 80%
power with a 2-sided P value of less than 0.05 as significant, 30 patients per group were required. An interim analysis was planned after inclusion of a half of the
calculated sample size with a premature study end, if
any differences in the primary end point were reached.
Statistical analysis was based on an intention-to-treat
analysis and it was performed with the Statistical Package for Social Science software (version 10.0; SPSS,
Chicago, IL). Calculations of diet intake were performed with Diet PRO (version 4.0). The Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon tests were used to compare continuous variables, the chi-square test and the Fisher
exact test were used to compare discrete variables. The
length of hospital stay was assessed by survival analysis, due to censorship in follow-up time and due to better matching of such analysis for this variable.
Results
From July 2006 until January 2008 there were 29
patients who fulfilled inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to the EF and TRAD groups. Characteristics and surgical details are shown in table I. The
most common diagnosis was colorectal cancer (males
n=12, females n=12). Laparoscopic procedures were
performed in 42.9% of patients in TRAD group and
46.7% of EF group, with no statistical difference between groups (p=NS). Nutritional status of patients
before surgery according to subjective global assessment is depicted in figure 1 A and B. When BMI was
used, overnutrition (BMI>25kg/m2) was present in
62.1% of patients. There was significant reduction in
total length of stay between EF group and TRAD
group (p<0.01), as presented in figure 2.The median
length of hospital stay was 5.0 days in TRAD group
versus 3.0 days in EF group.
Table I
Patients characteristics and surgical details
Traditional care
(N =14)

Early fed
(N = 15)

Mean age, y (range)

47,4 16,7 (21-79) 54,5 10,1 (35-75)
Male/female
5/9
4/11
Type of surgery
Sigmoid resection
6
7
Left hemicolectomy
2
0
Resection of transverse colon
0
1
Right hemicolectomy
1
6
Total colectomy
5
1

P
value
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS

Traditional group = diet after flatus or stool elimination.

Early fed group = diet on the 1st PO day.
NS = non significant.

Nutr Hosp. 2010;25(5):806-809

807

Early fed group

Traditional care group

7%

7%
7%

46%

47%
86%
Well nourished

Moderately malnourished Severely malnourished

Fig. 1.Nutritional status according to subjective global assessment of patients undergoing colonic resection.

1.00
0.75
0.50
0.25
0.00
0
p = 0.0042

4
Lenght of hospital stay (days)

Traditional care group

Early fed group

Fig. 2.Length of hospital stay of patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Time taken to passage of first flatus was statistically different between the two groups (TRAD = 2nd day
versus EF = 1st day; p<0.05). Diet intake in TRAD and
EF group is showed in figures 3 and 4 respectively.
Nine patients presented with postoperative complications. Five patients in the TRAD group and four patients in de EF group (p=NS). There was no statistical
difference in the occurrence of nausea and vomiting
between the groups. Patients in the TRAD group were
1.86 times more likely to have diarrhea than patients
in EF group (IC95%: 1.08 3.02; p<0.05). The rate of
anastomotic leak was not different between groups
(p>0.05). One patient died during the follow-up.

postoperative ileus and slower recovery6. However, it

is also known that the passage of food at the anastomosis site enhances healing. It reduces the risk of developing fistulas, the occurrence of nausea and vomiting by increasing local blood flow and peristalsis and,
thus stimulates intestinal motility and resolution postoperative ileus2,7,14,15.
Multimodal treatments do impact on surgical outcomes5,7-10,12,13, however the contribution of each procedure alone remains unclear. Indeed, this could be due
to the diversity of the protocols and its many variables9,14. Each aspect influencing postoperative recovery should be investigated individually, and consensus
reached on its place in fast-track protocols.
The current study only assessed the important role
of timing of PO diet reintroduction and it has shown
that it alone impacted on recovery of the patients with
no increased complications.
In our study, the event diarrhea was 1.86 times
more likely to occur in patients who received diet only
after passage of flatus. This might be explained by the
fact that fasting is associated with greater likelihood
of intestinal stasis which contributes to increased bacterial growth and imbalance of the intestinal microbiota. Finally, when motility is recovered diarrhea might
occur.
In conclusion, our study shows that early postoperative feeding protocol alone in patients undergoing
colon resection results in earlier hospital discharge,
quicker postoperative recovery and no changes in
complication rates. This result reinforces the idea that
early nutrition is crucial in the recovery of the patient,

POD3

POD2

POD1
0

20

40

nil by mouth

clear liquids

60
all liquids

80
soft diet

100

solid diet

Fig. 3.Diet intake in traditional care (TRAD) group during

the three first days postoperatively of patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Discussion
The results of this randomized pilot clinical trial indicate that early oral diet alone can impact positively
in postoperative outcome of patients undergoing colorectal resection.
Although the EF group presented with higher number of malnourished individuals (53%) than the
TRAD group (14%) it still had better postoperative recovery reflected by shorter hospital stay, lower incidence of diarrhea and similar complication rates. It is
known that nutritional status is directly associated
with worse organic response to trauma, increased

808

Nutr Hosp. 2010;25(5):806-809

POD3

POD2

POD1
0

20
nil by mouth

40
clear liquids

60
all liquids

80
soft diet

100
solid diet

Fig. 4.Diet intake in early fed (EF) group during the three
first days postoperatively of patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

M. Lobato Dias Consoli et al.

even when malnutrition is present (53% of the early

fed group).

7.
8.

Grant support
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfico
e Tecnolgico CNPq

9.

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