Aspectos nutricionais de pacientes pós cirurgias de trato gastrointestinal versus variáveis clínicas

Abstract

Background: Upper gastrointestinal surgeries are indicated for patients with cancer, as well as for other non-malignant clinical conditions such as inflammation of the pancreas and gallbladder, or perforations due to ulcers or trauma. Malnutrition is common in these cases, making thorough nutritional assessment essential during hospitalization. Postoperative complications may occur frequently, with postoperative fistulas being particularly noteworthy. Aims: To compare patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal tract surgery with their clinical variables. Results: A total of 28 patients were analyzed, mostly elderly men residing in Santa Maria. Among them, 46.4% were smokers and 32.1% were alcohol consumers. The average length of hospital stay was 14.2±8.8 days across all types of surgery, with longer stays observed in patients who underwent esophagectomy and pancreaticoduodenectomy. Postoperative complications, such as fistulas, were more frequent in these procedures, occurring in 50% and 66.7% of patients, respectively. Patients who underwent esophagectomy showed greater weight loss (5.1±1.7%) and higher need for nutritional therapy (100%) compared to other surgeries. Conclusions: This study found an association between the types of surgery and the clinical variables presented. Esophagectomy was associated with longer hospital stays, greater weight loss during hospitalization, and a higher need for nutritional therapy. Most patients experienced reduced energy intake adequacy, and a high prevalence of postoperative fistulas was observed. Further studies are recommended to investigate the causes of these complications in greater depth.