Nutritional Consideration in Some Head and Neck Diseases

Malnutrition has been associated with increased risk for infection, poor wound healing, immunocompromise, increased length of hospital stay, increased mortality, and increased hospital costs. Patients may require nutritional support for a number of reasons. Sometimes this is as a result of their disease, other times as a result of self neglect. In the head and neck the more common reasons include severe injuries, spreading infection and cancers involving the head, face or throat. In other patients treatment itself may hinder adequate intake. Causes of poor nutrition in head and neck patients includes,