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Early oral feeding following intestinal anastomoses in children is safe

Tunde T Sholadoye1, Abdulrafiu F Suleiman, Philip M Mshelbwala

  • 1Department of Surgery, Division of Paediatric Surgery, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria.

African Journal of Paediatric Surgery : AJPS
|August 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Early oral feeding after intestinal surgery in children is safe and effective, especially when parenteral nutrition is limited. This approach helps patients achieve full oral intake sooner, minimizing complications.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Gastroenterology
  • Clinical Nutrition

Background:

  • Delayed oral feeding post-intestinal anastomosis is common.
  • This practice poses challenges, particularly with limited parenteral nutrition resources.
  • The study assesses the safety of early oral feeding in pediatric patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and feasibility of initiating oral feeding within 72 hours post-intestinal anastomosis in children.
  • To determine the rate of feed-related complications associated with early oral feeding.
  • To assess the time to achieve full oral feeds in this pediatric population.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective study of 64 children (≤12 years) undergoing intestinal anastomosis.
  • Oral feeding was initiated within 72 hours post-surgery unless contraindicated.
  • Data on surgical indications, anastomosis types, feeding timelines, and complications were collected.

Main Results:

  • Oral feeding commenced within 72 hours in 70.3% of patients.
  • Feed-related complications occurred in 7.8% of patients, with similar rates in early vs. delayed feeding groups.
  • Full oral feeds were achieved by postoperative day 5 in 65.6% and by day 7 in 95.3% of children.

Conclusions:

  • Early oral feeding following intestinal anastomoses in children is safe.
  • This approach is particularly beneficial in resource-limited settings lacking parenteral nutrition.
  • Initiating oral feeds early facilitates quicker recovery and full nutritional intake.
Abstract

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