Perioperative nutritional therapy is essential for the recovery of patients undergoing surgical procedures, especially in gastrointestinal and oncological surgeries. The objective was to evaluate the effects of early enteral nutrition, immunonutrition, and fluid management on reducing infectious complications, length of hospital stay, and improving postoperative recovery. A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol, with searches in PubMed, SciELO, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases, using descriptors such as “Perioperative Nutrition,” “Enteral Nutrition,” and “Surgical Recovery.” Randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published between 2000 and 2023 with sample sizes greater than 50 participants were included. The results demonstrated that early enteral nutrition was associated with a lower incidence of infections, reduced hospitalization time, and preservation of gastrointestinal function. Supplementation with immunonutrients (glutamine, arginine, omega-3, and symbiotics) positively modulated the immune response and reduced postoperative complications. Strict fluid management proved crucial in preventing organ dysfunction and compartment syndromes. It is concluded that the implementation of protocols based on early enteral nutrition, immunonutrition, and fluid balance significantly improves clinical outcomes in the perioperative period, reinforcing the need for individualized and multidisciplinary guidelines in the nutritional care of surgical patients.
Rodrigues et al. (Wed,) studied this question.