Define Dietary Management during Surgery?
Surgery increases the nutritional demands of the body and can lead to the elicitation of several nutritional deficiencies/imbalance. Malnutrition compounds the severity of complications as far as surgery is concerned and is associated with a high incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality. The cellular processes involved in wound healing are critically dependent on adequate perfusion (delivery) of oxygen, glucose, and other essential nutrients. Inadequate perfusion may result in relative tissue ischemia (flow or flood restricted) and delayed wound healing. Nutritional support of critically ill patients is important both for promoting protein synthesis and other anabolic processes essential to recovery and for reducing the net drain on the patient's fuel and protein stores.
Enteral nutrition is preferred, but the availability of effective intravenous techniques allows the clinician to provide appropriate nutrition to virtually all patients as you may recall reading in the last unit. Exercise and mobility have clear anti-catabolic effects and should be initiated as early as is practicable. A principal responsibility of the dietician is therefore to ensure adequate tissue perfusion during the entire period of wound healing. Thus, a complete nutrition and health assessment of the patient is essential to determine the macro-and micronutrient requirements before and after surgery.