[IS EARLY ENTERAL FEEDING POSSIBLE?]

In conventional postoperative management, early oral feeding after preoperative oral supplementary water and gastrointestinal tract anastomosis was contraindicated for two main reasons. Primarily, it was believed that it would be dangerous because the gastrointestinal tract was in a physiological state of paralytic ileus for 3-5 days after open surgery. The second reason for concern was the risk of causing anastomotic suture rupture if patients did not rest quietly until sufficient secondary wound healing of the gastrointestinal anastomosis had occurred. However, this was counter to common sense, and the current Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols recommend early oral intake after preoperative oral supplementary water. This stimulates intestinal tract motility and decreases complications. The ERAS protocols appear safe for patient management after surgery involving the large intestine and are now being assessed for patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal tract procedures.