Feeding patients after abdominal surgery.

Nutrition in hospital has been the focus of negative attention in recent years. Apart from the issues surrounding older people and nutrition (Odlund-Olin et al 1996), patients undergoing surgery might still be subject to inappropriate nutritional care and practice. Many are still fasted for long periods of time before surgery, and experience inappropriate regimes designed to wean them back onto normal eating and drinking patterns. This can lead to malnourishment and delayed healing. The author examines good practice in perioperative nutritional practice, designed to ensure that the patient recovers as quickly and as well as possible following abdominal surgery.