Relationship between nutritional status and immediate complications in patients undergoing colorectal surgery

INTRODUCTION: several complications may occur during colorectal surgical procedures and factors, such as nutritional status, substantially contribute to this problem. OBJECTIVE: evaluate the relationship between nutritional status (determined by different tools) and the emergence of early postoperative complications, as well as analyze social parameters, lifestyle, food intake, and time to diet reintroduction. METHODS: case series study conducted in the surgical proctologic ward of the Hospital Barão de Lucena, Recife, Pernambuco, with individuals of both sexes diagnosed with colorectal cancer who underwent a surgical procedure involving at least one anastomosis. Social, demographic and clinical data, life style, dietary intake, nutritional status, and the immediate postsurgical complications were evaluated. RESULTS: among the 31 patients studied, there was a higher prevalence of females (74.2%), mean age of 61.9 ± 12.4 years old, and the rectum was the primary site of cancer in 54.8%. Most patients came from the countryside, were retirees, had lower education, consumed too much red meat, processed meats, and fats, with low consumption of fruits and vegetables, and were sedentary. Regarding nutritional status, nutritional risk was found in 58.1%, mean BMI of 25.7 ± 6.8 kg/m², and 54.8% had significant weight loss. Additionally, 38.7% had some of the immediate complications, particularly paralytic ileus and abdominal distension. There was a delay in the onset of renourishment, and there was no association between nutritional status and immediate complications. CONCLUSION: colorectal cancer is closely related to eating habits and lifestyle. Patients with this malignancy have a marked weight loss; however, in this study, we found no association between nutritional status and the incidence of postoperative complications.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Souza,Vanina Cordeiro de, Dourado,Keila Fernandes, Lima,Airta Larissa Cerqueira, Bernardo,Evane, Caraciollo,Patrícia
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Sociedade Brasileira de Coloproctologia 2013
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2237-93632013000200083
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