The economic impact of early enteral feeding in gastrointestinal surgery: a prospective survey of 51 consecutive patients

Early postoperative oral feeding has been demonstrated to be safe and not increase postoperative morbidity. There are conflicting reports about its effect on postoperative length of stay. Some patients will fail attempts at early postoperative feeding and may be relegated to a longer postoperative c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American surgeon 2005-03, Vol.71 (3), p.187-190
Main Authors: Lucha, Jr, Paul A, Butler, Ralph, Plichta, Jessica, Francis, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Cost Savings
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Digestive System Surgical Procedures - economics
Digestive System Surgical Procedures - methods
Economic impact
Enteral Nutrition - economics
Enteral Nutrition - methods
Female
Hospital Costs
Humans
Intubation, Gastrointestinal - economics
Intubation, Gastrointestinal - methods
Length of Stay - economics
Male
Middle Aged
Morbidity
Postoperative Care - methods
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Sensitivity and Specificity
Surgery
Time Factors
United States
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Summary:Early postoperative oral feeding has been demonstrated to be safe and not increase postoperative morbidity. There are conflicting reports about its effect on postoperative length of stay. Some patients will fail attempts at early postoperative feeding and may be relegated to a longer postoperative course. Few studies to date have attempted to identify cost savings associated with early oral support, and those identified address nasoenteric support only. Fifty-one consecutive patients were randomized into either a traditional postoperative feeding group or an early postoperative feeding group after their gastrointestinal surgery. Length of hospital stay, hospital costs (excluding operating room costs), morbidity, and time to tolerance of a diet were compared. There was a tendency toward increased nasogastric tube use in the early feeding arm, but the morbidity rates were similar. Length of hospital stay and costs were similar in both arms. Early postoperative enteral support does not reduce hospital stay, nursing workload, or costs. It may come at a cost of higher nasogastric tube use, however, without an increase in postoperative morbidity.
ISSN:0003-1348
1555-9823
DOI:10.1177/000313480507100301