S. M. Deeney1, D. D. Bensard1, T. M. Crombleholme1 1Children’s Hospital Colorado,Department Of Pediatric Surgery,Aurora, CO, USA
Introduction:
The benefits of early enteral feeding have been demonstrated in expedited recovery after surgery protocols for various procedures such as adult colorectal surgery. Little is known regarding the effect of earlier enteral feeding in patients after congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) repair.
Methods:
Retrospective patient data of all patients who underwent CDH repair from 2008 through 2015 was collected at our institution, excluding patients who died prior to initiation of enteral feeding (n=64). Statistical analysis was by Student’s t test, chi square, and Fisher’s exact test, p<0.05.
Results:
Patients who started enteral feeding 5 days or earlier following CDH repair had a statistically shorter length of hospitalization than those fed 6 days or later postoperatively (51±42 vs 85±125 days, p=0.03). There was no significant difference between groups in survival to discharge (95% vs 85%, p=0.3), ventilator time (24±44 vs 95±167 days, p=0.07), postoperative total infection rates (38% vs 45%, p=0.16) and wound complication rates (2% vs 15%, p=0.09).
Conclusion:
There is an association between earlier enteral feeding and decreased length of hospitalization in patients who have undergone CDH repair. All other factors studied did not reach statistical significance, possibly due to underpowering. These results need to be validated in a prospective randomized, controlled study.