Nutritional status of patients before and after gastrointestinal surgery

Abstract

Objective: To describe the nutritional status of patients before gastrointestinal surgery and the nutritional supports provided afterward. Method: A retrospective study was conducted on 240 patients who underwent gastrointestinal surgery at the Department of General Surgery, Hanoi Medical University Hospital, from November 2022 to June 2023. Results: The average body mass index (BMI) of patients before surgery was 22.11 ± 2.78. The prevalence of undernutrition (BMI < 18) was 5%. The risk of malnutrition based on the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) was 0.4%. 38.7% of the patients were administered total parenteral nutrition within the first 24 hours postoperatively. 43.7% nutritional supported patients were satisfied the nutritional recommended requirements with the actual energy intake was 82.4% of the recommended intake. Conclusion: The rate of chronic energy deficiency and substandard nutritional status in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery remains significant, especially after surgery. Therefore, it is essential to focus on timely nutritional assessment and intervention for patients throughout the treatment process.