Brenda Khan
Adequate nutritional protein and energy intake are required for optimal postoperative recovery. Nutritional status is a strong predictor of postoperative outcomes and is recognized as an important component of surgical recovery programs. Post-operative protein supplementation is an effective way to improve patient recovery. Protein requirements increase during the post-surgical recovery phase, and adequate protein intake is essential for addressing the surgical stress response and mitigating the loss of muscle mass, strength, and functionality.
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What You'll Learn
Post-operative protein supplementation improves recovery
Adequate nutritional protein intake is required for optimal postoperative recovery. Nutritional status is a strong predictor of postoperative outcomes and is recognised as an important component of surgical recovery programs. Post-operative protein supplementation improves recovery by helping to replace blood losses, repair damaged body tissues, improve muscle health, recover strength, accelerate the healing process, and enhance the immune system to prevent inflammations or infections.
Protein requirements increase during the post-surgical recovery phase, and a person's ability to meet these requirements is a good predictor of how well they will recover. In the post-operative period, the body's elevated need for amino acids must be met with increased dietary protein intake. When protein intake is inadequate, skeletal muscle serves as the primary source of essential amino acids needed to maintain whole-body protein synthesis.
Consuming protein supplements between meals can help achieve higher protein intake levels and optimise nutritional intake throughout the day when appetite is suppressed. Nutritional therapy may involve monitoring a patient's food intake and supplementing their diet with oral nutritional supplements (ONS) and enteral or parenteral nutrition to cover energy and protein requirements, if necessary.
Protein and energy deficiencies have been documented in gastrointestinal surgery patients, and trials have demonstrated the benefits of perioperative nutritional strategies. Post-operative oral nutritional supplementation has been studied to a lesser extent, but it has been shown to improve patient recovery. For example, in a study by Saluja et al., the group given supplementation in addition to a ward diet consumed significantly more protein than the control group.
To enhance patient nutrition knowledge, hospitals can provide nutrition folders, hang posters with pictograms of protein-rich and energy-rich foods, or provide patients with digital nutrition applications. Encouraging the consumption of homemade meals can also improve nutrition consumption.
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Nutritional status is a predictor of postoperative outcomes
Nutritional status is a strong predictor of postoperative outcomes and is recognised as an important component of surgical recovery programs. Adequate nutritional consumption is essential for addressing the surgical stress response and mitigating the loss of muscle mass, strength, and functionality. Nutritional therapy plays an important role in the process of recovery from surgery and disease, especially in patients with oncological or inflammatory diseases with indications for surgery.
Malnutrition is a modifiable risk factor that should be treated carefully in the early and late postoperative periods. Malnutrition may be underestimated in an overweight society, and it is important to identify patients at risk before surgery. In patients with cancer and those with pre-existing malnutrition, an accumulating caloric gap may be harmful in the early and late postoperative periods. Nutritional deficiencies can lead to complications requiring reoperation and intensive care treatment.
Protein requirements increase during the post-surgical recovery phase, and a patient's ability to meet these needs is a good predictor of how well they will recover. Post-operatively, protein helps to replace blood losses, repair damaged body tissues, improve muscle health, recover strength, accelerate the healing process, and enhance the immune system to prevent inflammations or infections. Whey protein, in particular, contains a range of essential amino acids that are absorbed quickly and can help increase strength and gain muscle.
There are multiple barriers that affect patients' nutrition intake in the hospital. The feeling of being physically ill and a negative frame of mind negatively affect nutrition intake by decreasing appetite and energy. Dietary restrictions, such as sodium-restricted diets, low-fat or cholesterol-free diets, and missed meals due to diagnostic procedures, can also lead to insufficient nutritional protein and energy intake. Enhancing patient nutrition knowledge through educational programs and resources can help increase postoperative nutrition intake.
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Protein helps repair damaged body tissues and improves muscle health
Surgery is traumatic for the body and requires healing and recovery. Nutritional status is a strong predictor of postoperative outcomes and is an important component of surgical recovery programs. Nutritional intake around the operative period supports the body's increased nutritional needs during the hypermetabolic and inflammatory state, manages post-surgical insulin resistance, and reduces muscle atrophy.
Post-operative protein supplementation is an effective way to improve patient recovery. Clinical trials of oral nutritional supplements providing increased protein levels have shown benefits in patient recovery. In one trial, the group given supplementation in addition to a ward diet consumed an average of 55.71 ± 11.63 g of protein per day, while the control group consumed 39.48 ± 11.14 g. This increase in protein consumption was accompanied by a significant increase in the amount of carbohydrate consumed.
It is common for people to lose their appetite after surgery, making it difficult to meet daily protein requirements. Patients often do not consume an adequate amount of protein and energy in the first week after major surgery. Postoperative nutrition therapy may be necessary to monitor food intake and supplement the diet with oral nutritional supplements or enteral or parenteral nutrition to cover energy and protein requirements.
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Appetite is often reduced following surgery
In addition, dietary restrictions, such as low-fat or sodium-restricted diets, and missed meals due to diagnostic procedures can lead to insufficient protein and energy intake. Patients may also miss home-cooked meals, which can further reduce their appetite and hinder their recovery. Therefore, encouraging the consumption of homemade meals can improve nutrition consumption.
To ensure adequate protein intake, patients can consume essential amino acids (EAAs) and/or protein supplements between meals. This is especially important for surgeries requiring physical rehabilitation, such as joint replacement, as nutrient timing around rehabilitation sessions can help increase lean mass, strength, and functionality, leading to a faster return to daily activities.
Furthermore, providing patients with nutrition education and resources, such as folders, pictograms, or digital nutrition applications, can enhance their knowledge and help them track their protein and energy consumption. This, along with access to a registered dietitian, can increase patients' nutrition knowledge and hopefully lead to improved postoperative nutrition intake.
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Post-operative nutrition therapy is important for recovery
Protein requirements increase during the post-surgical recovery phase. Post-operatively, protein has an important role in helping to replace blood losses, repair damaged body tissues, improve muscle health, recover strength, accelerate the healing process, and enhance the immune system to prevent inflammations or infections. Whey protein, in particular, has been shown to help with wound healing. Your body uses collagen protein to repair tissue and rebuild cartilage. This is excellent for healing surgical wounds.
In the postoperative period, oral nutrition supplements have been studied to a lesser extent, but the proposed benefits may be attributed to protein supplementation combined with appropriate energy intake. Clinical trials of oral nutritional supplements providing increased protein levels have been systematically assessed with respect to clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
There are multiple barriers that have been shown to affect patients' nutrition intake when in the hospital. The feeling of being physically ill and a negative frame of mind negatively affect nutrition intake by decreasing appetite and energy. Dietary restrictions, such as sodium-restricted diets, low-fat or cholesterol-free diets, and missed meals because of diagnostic procedures, also cause insufficient nutritional protein and energy intake. In addition, inadequate knowledge, inadequate communication, and misconceptions regarding the importance of nutrition among patients and care providers also cause insufficient nutrition intake.
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Frequently asked questions
Adequate nutritional protein and energy intake are required for optimal postoperative recovery. Protein helps to replace blood losses, repair damaged body tissues, improve muscle health, and enhance the immune system to prevent inflammations or infections.
Malnutrition in hospitalized patients can negatively impact recovery. Inadequate protein can lead to significant muscle atrophy, causing a loss of independence and increased mortality risk.
It is common for people to lose their appetite after surgery, so it is recommended to start a normal diet with the addition of oral nutrition supplements on the first postoperative day. Registered dietitians can help patients increase their protein intake and monitor their nutritional needs.
