title: A randomized controlled trial evaluating early versus traditional oral feeding after colorectal surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This prospective randomized clinical study was conducted to evaluate the safety and tolerability of early oral feeding after colorectal operations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 199 patients underwent colorectal surgery and were randomly assigned to early feeding (n = 99) or a regular diet (n = 100). Patients' characteristics, diagnoses, surgical procedures, comorbidity, bowel movements, defecation, nasogastric tube reinsertion, time of tolerance of solid diet, complications, and length of hospitalization were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two groups were similar in terms of gender, age, diagnosis, surgical procedures, and comorbidity. In the early feeding group, 85.9% of patients tolerated the early feeding schedule. Bowel movements (1.7±0.89 vs. 3.27±1.3), defecation (3.4±0.77 vs. 4.38±1.18) and time of tolerance of solid diet (2.48±0.85 vs. 4.77±1.81) were significantly earlier in the early feeding group. There was no change between the groups in terms of nasogastric tube reinsertion, overall complication or anastomotic leakage. Hospitalization (5.55±2.35 vs. 9.0±6.5) was shorter in the early feeding group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicated that early oral feeding after elective colorectal surgery was not only well tolerated by patients but also affected the postoperative outcomes positively. Early postoperative feeding is safe and leads to the early recovery of gastrointestinal functions.
authors.affiliation: Departments of General Surgery, Mersin, Turkey. dahmetdag@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dag
authors.forename: Tahsin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Colak
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Turkmenoglu
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gundogdu
authors.forename: Suha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aydin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D004435:Eating; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult