Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Tissue Engineering of the Intestine in a Murine Model
Published on: December 1, 2012
Missed Opportunities for Nutritional Rehabilitation in Children Admitted to Surgical Wards
Pooja Dave1, Somashekhar Nimbalkar2, Ajay Phatak3
1Department of Surgery, Pramukhswami Medical College, Charutar Arogya Mandal, Karamsad, Gujarat 388325, India; Department of Pediatrics, Pramukhswami Medical College, Charutar Arogya Mandal, Karamsad, Gujarat 388325, India.
Insights
Pediatric malnutrition is prevalent in surgical wards, with poor documentation hindering timely treatment. Improved identification and management are crucial for better child health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Malnutrition in children presents significant health and economic challenges.
- Effective management requires accurate identification and timely intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the documentation, prevalence, and treatment of malnutrition in children admitted to surgical wards.
- To identify "missed opportunities" in malnutrition care.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective audit of 154 patient records from general surgical, orthopedic, and otorhinolaryngology wards.
- Evaluation of data completeness, documentation methods, and data quality.
- Descriptive analysis to determine malnutrition prevalence and identify care gaps.
Main Results:
- Weight documented in 75.32% of records, height in only 5.19%.
- Among 106 records with adequate weight data, 46.23% of children were undernourished (severe or moderate).
- Poor documentation and treatment of malnutrition were observed, indicating significant "missed opportunities".
Conclusions:
- Nutritional indicators are poorly documented in pediatric surgical admissions.
- High levels of malnutrition are evident from available data.
- Enhanced focus on identification and management of pediatric malnutrition in surgical settings is essential.
Abstract:
Background. Malnutrition in children has serious health and economic consequences. We studied documentation of malnutrition, actual prevalence, and treatment given in children admitted to surgical wards. Methods. Retrospective study of 154 patients aged <5 yrs admitted to general surgical, orthopedic, and otorhinolaryngology wards. Records were evaluated for completeness of data, way of documentation, and data quality. Descriptive analysis was done. If malnutrition was not identified and/or proper action was not taken, it was defined as a "missed opportunity." Results. Of 154 records audited, 100 (64.94%) were males, 108 (70.13%) were from general surgery ward, and 78 (50.65%) were residing in suburban area. The mean (SD) age of the study population was 2.32 (1.16) years whereas mean (SD) duration of stay was 5.84 (6.29) days. Weight and height were mentioned in 116 (75.32%) and 8 (5.19%) records, respectively, mostly by nonsurgical personnel. Documentation and treatment of malnutrition were poor. Out of 106 apparently correct weight records, 19 (17.93%) children were severely undernourished and 30 (28.30%) were moderately undernourished whereas 20 (18.87%) children were not undernourished but required nutritional attention. Conclusion. There is poor documentation of nutritional indicators of children admitted to surgical wards. From data that was available, it is apparent that malnutrition is at high levels. "Identification" and hence management of malnutrition need more attention.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Enteral Nutrition II: Nasointestinal and Gastrostomy Feeding
Nasointestinal Feeding
Nasointestinal feeding involves placing a tube...
01:26Enteral Nutrition I: Orogastric and Nasogastric Feeding
Orogastric (OG) and nasogastric (NG) feeding are two standard methods used for enteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition is often preferred over...
01:28Chronic Kidney Disease III: Interprofessional Care
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
01:27Parentral Nutrition: Centeral and Peripheral Parental Nutrition
PN can be administered through two primary routes:
1. Central Parenteral Nutrition (CPN):
CPN involves delivering a high concentration of nutrients through a large vein. This is typically achieved using a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) or,...
01:29Appendicitis-II: Diagnostic Studies and Management
Diagnosing Appendicitis
It requires a multifaceted approach, starting with a detailed physical examination to pinpoint the location and nature of the pain and identify any associated symptoms. Laboratory tests play a crucial role. A complete Blood Count (CBC) typically reveals leukocytosis (an increased number of...