Implications of pre-operative NG fasting on nutrition in major burn patients: an audit of practice

Abstract

Background: The hypermetabolic response seen following a major burn injury increases protein and energy requirements, necessitating the early establishment of enteral feeding. Early gastric feeding reduces the risk of gastrointestinal bacterial translocation, ileus, gastric ulceration and addresses the increase metabolic demands of the patient. Nasogastric feeding is commonly employed as a first line method of enteral feeding. However this needs to be stopped pre-operatively during the fasting period in a cohort of patients who attend the operating theatre frequently on their road to recovery, thereby resulting in missed calories and protein.