Immunonutrition in colorectal patients undergoing surgery reduces complication rates

This study investigated the effects of immunonutrition in colorectal cancer patients undergoing surgery. Researchers reported that including immunonutrients in patient diets reduces the complications after surgery and increases survival.

The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program describes the recommended care for patients undergoing surgery. This program improved the care of these patients in the recent years. However, post-surgery complications remain common. Infections are the most common complications following colorectal surgery.

In recent years, immunonutrients (such as glutamine and omega-3 fatty acids) have been added to standard diets following surgery. These immunonutrients improve the immune system action, reducing infections after surgery. Little is known, however, about the role of immunonutrition in colorectal surgery.

The objective of this study was to investigate the immunonutrition within an ERAS program in colorectal cancer patients undergoing surgery.

This study included 244 patients with colorectal cancer undergoing surgery within ERAS program. Patients were divided in two groups, receiving immonutrients or receiving standard diet for 7 days before surgery and 5 days after surgery. Both groups of patients stayed 5 days in the hospital.

23% of patients receiving immunonutrition experienced complications. This was significantly less than the 35.2% of the standard diet group. 10.7% of patients receiving immunonutrition experienced post-surgery infection, compared to 23.8% of those in the standard diet group.

This study showed that the use of the ERAS program combined with immunonutrition reduces infections as a post-surgery complication in patients undergoing colorectal surgery.