Effect of Toddlers' Feeding before Abdominal Operations on Postoperative Complications

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Assiut University

2 Pediatric Surgery Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University.

Abstract

Toddlers are required to be fasting before general anaesthesia with the aim of reducing the
volume and acidity of their stomach contents. It is thought that fasting reduces the risk of
regurgitation and aspiration of gastric contents during surgery. The stomach is not emptied of
liquids and solids in the same way, and therefore preoperative fasting should not be the same for
both. Human milk leaves the stomach more rapidly than artificial milk, and the emptying of non-
human milk is similar to that of solids. This study aimed to determine the effects of toddlers'
feeding (clear fluid, breast milk, formula milk and adult food) before abdominal operations on
postoperative complications and to improve nurses' knowledge about pre and post-operative care
especially preoperative fasting and immediate post-operative complications. A Comparative
descriptive research design was used to conduct the study in the pediatric surgical unit at Assiut
university children Hospital. It included 100 children (25 children for each group) who were
selected randomly, aged from 1 to 3 years. One tool was used for collecting data in this study
consist of three part; part (1); A structured interview questionnaire, it included personal and
clinical data of children related to surgery, part (2) child's food consumption pattern and part three
include Observation sheet to assess the postoperative complication. The study results revealed
that, no one of breast milk and clear fluids feeding toddlers suffered from any immediate post
operative complications (aspiration, regurgitation and vomiting), will aspirated, regurgitated and
vomited cases were found among toddlers received adult food higher than toddlers received
artificial milk. Conclusion: Based on the results of the current study it was concluded that the
toddlers received human milk and clear fluid have less immediate post-operative complications
while the toddlers received adult food and artificial milk have higher percent of immediate post
operative complication. Recommendations: Organized an educational sessions for health staff
worked in pediatric surgical hospital about correct method of toddlers' fasting preoperative (type
of food and fasting time) to prevent immediate post-operative complications, recommended to do
further researches in this field.

Keywords

Egyptian Journal of Health Care
Volume 7, Issue 2
June 2016
Pages 120-132

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