Targeted nutritional strategies in postoperative care.

Area of Science:

• Clinical Nutrition
• Surgical Care
• Immunology

Background:

• Surgery triggers immune responses, potentially causing complications like infections and delayed healing.
• Conventional nutritional support often neglects the specific immune needs of surgical patients.
• Immunonutrition utilizes key nutrients to modulate immune function and promote tissue repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the efficacy and safety of immunonutrition in perioperative care.
• To evaluate immunonutrition's role in managing surgery-induced immune responses.
• To assess its impact on surgical patient outcomes and recovery.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of clinical studies and meta-analyses on immunonutrition in surgical settings.
• Analysis guided by recommendations from major clinical nutrition societies.
• Examination of key nutrients like arginine, omega-3 fatty acids, glutamine, nucleotides, and antioxidants.

Main Results:

• Immunonutrition is recommended for high-risk or malnourished patients undergoing major surgery.
• Demonstrated reduction in infection rates and hospital stay duration.
• Evidence supports enhanced immune cell function, reduced inflammation, and improved wound healing.

Conclusions:

• Immunonutrition is an effective adjunct to perioperative care, improving surgical outcomes.
• Challenges include cost, logistics, and lack of personalized protocols.
• Future research should focus on biomarkers, pharmacogenomics, and novel formulations for better integration into practice.