Background: This study assesses the safety outcome of early oral feeding and reports on the factors affecting early postoperative feeding after colorectal procedures.
Patients and methods: Between June 2005 and April 2008, 120 consecutive patients underwent elective colonic anastomosis and were then randomized into two groups. The early feeding group began fluids on the first postoperative day while the regular feeding group was managed in the traditional way - nothing by mouth until the resolution of ileus.
Results: The majority of patients (75%) tolerated the early feeding. The times to first passage of flatus (3.3+/-0.9 days vs 4.2+/-1.2 days) and stool (4.1+/-1.2 days vs 4.9+/-1.2 days) were significantly quicker in group 1. Hospital stay was also significantly shorter in the early feeding group (6.2+/-0.2 days vs 6.9+/-0.5 days). Operative time and amount of blood loss had an impact on the tolerability of early feeding while age, gender, type of operation and previous abdominal operation had no such impact.
Conclusion: Early oral feeding after colorectal surgery is safe and tolerated by the majority of patients. Operative time and amount of blood loss do, however, have an impact on the tolerability of early feeding.