NUTRITION AS A STRATEGY TO OPTIMIZE RECOVERY AFTER SURGERY AND INJURY
THE IMPORTANCE OF PERIOPERATIVE NUTRITION Patients with poor nutritional status prior to surgery are more likely to suffer complications after surgery including infection and death, have a greater hospital length of stay and cost of hospitalization, and are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days after surgery. [9] But it is important to note that malnutrition is one of the few modifiable preoperative risk factors. In fact, nutritional therapy has been shown to improve outcomes in surgeries such as gut or cancer surgery, where there is a greater risk of preoperative malnutrition. ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS BEFORE SURGERY A number of screening tools are available and the perioperative nutrition screen (PONS – see figure below) is one that is easy to apply in the preoperative period. This tool uses body mass index (BMI - a measure that combines height and weight) , recent change in weight, recent decrease in food intake, and preoperative blood albumin level (a rough measure of nutritional state that is commonly tested before surgery). A nutritional intervention is recommended if there are 1 or more positive responses on the PONS.
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