Comparison of Results of Early Feeding with Conventional way of Feeding after Colon Anastomosis in Patients with Colon Anastomosis

Previous studies have shown that early postoperative colon anastomosis oral feeding is feasible. Traditionally patients were fed when flatus or defecation documented the return of bowel function. All patients who underwent elective laparotomy with colon resection and anastomosis between December 2006 –and December 2007 were prospectively randomized to one of the following two groups: group 1: early oral feeding--all patients received a clear liquid diet on the first postoperative day followed by a regular diet as tolerated; group 2: regular feeding--all patients were treated in the "traditional" way, with feeding only after the resolution of their postoperative ileus. The patients were monitored for vomiting, bowel movements, time of regular diet consumption, complications, amount of serum received and length of hospitalization. A total of 64 consecutive patients were studied, 32 patients in group 1 and 32 patients in group 2. There were no significant differences between the early and regular feeding groups in the overall complications or mortality, but there were significant reduction of length of hospitalization and serum reception in the early oral feeding group.Early oral feeding after elective colon surgery is safe and can be tolerated by the patients. Thus, it may become a routine feature of postoperative management in these patients.