| Popis: |
Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with increased energy expenditure. Enteral feeding is preferred in such patients and various modes of enteral feeding have been practiced. Methods: A prospective non-comparative study was counducted on the outcome measures of the following enteral feeding practices: feeding gastrostomy, feeding jejunostomy, nasojejunal tube feeding and nasogastric tube feeding. Results: A total of 120 patients with TBI were enrolled. Any significant difference in the laboratory parameters (hemoglobin and serum albumin) was not observed between the study groups. A higher incidence of pulmonary aspiration in patients undergoing nasogastric tube feeding (45%) was found. Diarrhea was observed in 20/120 (16.7%) patients, tubal block in 18/120 (15%) patients, infection of the wound site in 18/120 (15%), burst abdomen in 3/120 (2.5%) and abdominal distension in 21/120 (17.5%) patients. None of the above mentioned complications were significantly different between various modes of enteral feeding. Conclusions: The present study provides the baseline data regarding the different enteral feeding practices and their outcome measures from a developing country. However, large randomized controlled trials are the need of the hour in finding out the best mode of enteral feeding practice. |
