Favorable effects of preoperative enteral immunonutrition on a surgical site infection in patients with colorectal...

A prospective study was conducted to ascertain the effects of preoperative enteral immunonutrition on a surgical site infection (SSI) in patients with colorectal cancer without malnutrition.

Patients with colorectal cancer undergoing elective surgery without malnutrition, bowel obstruction, severe cardiopulmonary complications, diabetes, collagen disease, or renal failure were sequentially divided into an immunonutrition group (n = 33) and a control group (n = 34). In the immunonutrition group, an enteral diet supplemented with arginine, dietary nucleotides, and omega-3 fatty acids was administered for 5 days (750 ml/day) prior to surgery.

The mean age was slightly higher in the immunonutrition group (69 +/- 9 years) than in the control group (63 +/- 11 years; P < 0.05), but no significant differences between the groups were noted for the body mass index, total protein, albumin, hemoglobin, surgical methods, operation time, or volume of intraoperative bleeding. The frequencies of superficial incisional SSI, deep incisional SSI and organ/space SSI in the immunonutrition and control groups were 0% and 11.8% (4/34; P < 0.05), 0% and 0%, and 0% and 2.9% (1/34), respectively.

Preoperative enteral immunonutrition appears to be effective for preventing SSI in patients with colorectal cancer without malnutrition.