Enteral vs Parenteral Nutrition in the Early Postoperative Phase with Special Regard to Protein Metabolism

Artificial nutrition in the postoperative phase is the method of choice for providing adequate nutrients to patients in the so-called post-aggressive metabolism. The method of artificial nutrition is not set and the doctor must decide between parenteral application of nutrients using a central venous catheter with its attendant problems, or enteral nutrition through a fine-bore feeding tube placed in the proximal jejunum. In a prospective randomized study of 60 patients after elective colonic surgery we assessed the value of early postoperative enteral feeding vs parenteral feeding.