Early feeding after colorectal surgery. Preliminary results

Thirty three patients were placed under early oral feeding after elective colorectal surgery. There were 15 male and 18 female patients, mean age: 52 years. Nasogastric tube was removed as soon as they were widely awake, or on the morning following the afternoon operations. Oral feeding was resumed 4 hours later, and the first meal consisted in a slight solid meal. There was no postoperative mortality or significant morbidity. Liquid and solid oral intakes were resumed 18 and 24 hours respectively after the operation. Tolerance was perfect in 22 patients (66%), good (slight complaints) in 16%, and was considered as fair or bad in the last six cases. Intestinal transit was observed after a median period of 2 days. Tube insertion rate was 12%. No adverse effect on the anastomoses was noted. Data from the literature confirm that early feeding is tolerable and safe after open colorectal surgery. More patients should be included in this protocol to take benefit of the physiological effects of early oral feeding.