[Postoperative enteral feeding following resection of the colon]

We tried to show that feeding via intrajejunal tube with a chemical defined diet (CDD) is an alternative to parenteral nutrition in the early postoperative period. We investigated 40 patients after colon surgery--randomized into two groups (group I: CDD, group II: control: total parenteral nutrition via central veins). It was shown that the patients in the CDD-group tolerated enteral feeding from the beginning without any problems. At the second postoperative day, the N-balance became positive in both groups. The given results proved that this form of tube feeding with a special diet is a definite alternative to parenteral nutrition.