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Nutrition therapy in the early postoperative period after extensive operations in patients over 65
open access
Abstract
Material and methods: Two comparable groups of 25 patients were evaluated. The sex, grade of the body weight loss, basic diseases, kind of the surgery, indications, type and duration of the nutritional therapy were similar in both groups.
The following factors were analysed: advancement of preoperative malnutrition, actual energy expenditure, energy and protein intake, amount of the blood substitutes, complications of surgery and parenteral nutrition, relation between the percentage of the body weight loss and complication occurrence.
Results: The energy intake in the elderly (2139 kcal/d) was similar to the actual energy expenditure (2755 kcal/d). Mean nitrogen intake was 0.2 gN/kg/d. The group of older patients required a higher number of the transfused blood and plasma units (FFP transfusions: 16 U vs. 13.6 U, RBCC 4.9 U vs. 3.6 U respectively). The prevalence of the postoperative complications was more frequent in the group of older patients, especially concerning urinary tract infections, pneumonia (p < 0.01), disturbances of the cardiovascular and respiratory system (p < 0.05). The loss of the body weight of more than 10% was noticed in all deceased patients and in 80% of cases with three or more postoperative complications.
Conclusions: The body weight loss, especially exceeding 10%, is a simple and effective parameter in prognosis of complication prevalence in the elderly. Effective treatment of the postoperative complications in the elderly is possible due to application of an intensive nutritional therapy.
Abstract
Material and methods: Two comparable groups of 25 patients were evaluated. The sex, grade of the body weight loss, basic diseases, kind of the surgery, indications, type and duration of the nutritional therapy were similar in both groups.
The following factors were analysed: advancement of preoperative malnutrition, actual energy expenditure, energy and protein intake, amount of the blood substitutes, complications of surgery and parenteral nutrition, relation between the percentage of the body weight loss and complication occurrence.
Results: The energy intake in the elderly (2139 kcal/d) was similar to the actual energy expenditure (2755 kcal/d). Mean nitrogen intake was 0.2 gN/kg/d. The group of older patients required a higher number of the transfused blood and plasma units (FFP transfusions: 16 U vs. 13.6 U, RBCC 4.9 U vs. 3.6 U respectively). The prevalence of the postoperative complications was more frequent in the group of older patients, especially concerning urinary tract infections, pneumonia (p < 0.01), disturbances of the cardiovascular and respiratory system (p < 0.05). The loss of the body weight of more than 10% was noticed in all deceased patients and in 80% of cases with three or more postoperative complications.
Conclusions: The body weight loss, especially exceeding 10%, is a simple and effective parameter in prognosis of complication prevalence in the elderly. Effective treatment of the postoperative complications in the elderly is possible due to application of an intensive nutritional therapy.
Keywords
parenteral nutrition; resective surgery; old age


Title
Nutrition therapy in the early postoperative period after extensive operations in patients over 65
Journal
Chirurgia Polska (Polish Surgery)
Issue
Pages
127-134
Published online
2002-02-08
Bibliographic record
Chirurgia Polska 2001;3(3):127-134.
Keywords
parenteral nutrition
resective surgery
old age
Authors
Tomasz Orawczyk
Jan Kalaciński
Mariusz Ciopała
Krzysztof Kurczych
Paweł Ćwik