[Per os early nutrition for colorectal pathology susceptible of laparoscopy-assisted surgery]

Current less invasive surgical techniques, the use of new analgesic and anesthetic drugs, and early mobilization ("multimodal surgical strategies") reduce the occurrence of post-surgery paralytic ileus and vomiting, making possible early nutrition by the digestive route. With these premises, a nutrition protocol was designed for its implementation in colorectal pathology susceptible of laparoscopy-assisted surgery.

to assess the efficacy of this protocol that comprises 3 phases. Phase I: home preparation with 7 days duration; low-residues and insoluble fiber diet, supplemented with 400 mL of hyperproteic polymeric formula with no lactose or fiber, bowel cleansing 2 days prior to surgery and hydration with water, sugared infusions, and vegetable broth. Phase II: immediate post-surgical period with watery diet for 3 days with polymeric diet with no fiber. Phase III: semi-solid diet with no residues, nutritional formula and progressive reintroduction of food intake in four stages of varying duration according to surgery and digestive tolerance.

prospective study performed at our hospital with patients from our influence area, from February 2003 to May 2004, including 25 patients, 19 men and 6 women, with mean age of 63.3 years (range = 33-79) and mean body mass index of 26.25 kg/m2 (range = 20.84-31.3), all of them suffering from colorectal pathology susceptible of laparoscopy-assisted surgery, and to which the study protocol was applied. Fourteen left hemicolectomies, 5 right hemicolectomies, 4 low anterior resections with protective colostomy, and subtotal colectomies and lateral ileostomy were done. Final diagnoses were: 3 diverticular diseases; 3 adenomas; 7 rectosigmoidal neoplasms; and 12 large bowel neoplasms in other locations. The pathology study confirmed: pT3N0 (n = 7), pT3N1 (n = 3), pT3N2 (n = 1), and pT3N1M1 (n = 1), pT1N0 (n = 4), pT1N1 (n = 2), pTis (n = 1). Twelve patients were started on adjuvant therapy of which 3 had received an initial treatment with QT or RT.

Intestinal cleansing was poorly effective in 3 patients diagnosed with sub-occlusive neoplasm. Feeding was started within 24 hours in 13 patients, within 48 h in 7 patients, and at day 5 in one patient because of paralytic ileus. Hospital discharge was within the 3d-5th day in 60% of the patient, between 6th-10th day in 28%, and in 12% it occurred more than 20 days later due to complications. Progressive regimens were well tolerated by all patients, with no occurrence of diarrhea syndrome, the number of defecations varying from 2 to 4 and with a soft-normal consistency. In ponderal evolution, it is remarkable disease-related weight loss greater than 5% in 8 patients. By the end of the progressive diet, 5 patients had weight loss greater than 10% (4 for adjuvant therapy, 1 for depressive syndrome because of carrying a stoma). These patients were monitored 3 months later and they had recovered their regular weight.

Early nutrition in colorectal surgery is possible. Following a progressive feeding regimen allows for a better digestive tolerance as well as a good physical and functional recovery of the patient.