Rethinking postoperative diets for short-stay orthopedic surgery patients

To examine postoperative meal tolerance and meal preferences of short-stay orthopedic surgery patients.

A patient survey was designed with input of nurses and former patients. Patient interviews focused on the first two meal trays provided, fluids offered, and perceived hunger after surgery.

Subjects (n = 31) were adult orthopedic inpatients who were within 24 hours of surgery conducted while they were under general anesthetic and who had received at least one postoperative meal tray.

Descriptive statistical procedures were performed and chi 2 tests were used to compare responses at the first and second meals.

At the first meal after surgery, most patients reported adverse postoperative symptoms. Twenty-six (84%) patients had received regular meals. Fifteen (48%) patients reported eating almost nothing, yet 12 (39%) reported eating most or all food provided. Twenty-six (84%) patients thought a meal consisting of a combination of fluid and solid items would have been acceptable. At the second postoperative meal, fewer adverse symptoms were reported. Accordingly, most patients were able to eat the regular meal and considered solid food appropriate. Twenty-nine (94%) patients thought the amount of fluid provided after surgery was adequate. Eight (26%) patients reported feeling unreasonably hungry at some point after surgery.

Short-stay orthopedic surgery patients recover quickly from general anesthesia; however, patients vary in postoperative symptoms, meal tolerance, and meal preferences. Findings from this survey were applied to the development of a postoperative meal protocol, now in use, that features meals containing a combination of solid and fluid items.