Early Feeding vs 5-day Fasting After Distal Elective Bowel Anastomoses in Children. A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: To determine the safety and efficacy of early enteral feeding after distal (ileum-colon) elective bowel anastomoses in children. Methods: Controlled randomized trial including all pediatric patients with distal elective bowel anastomosis, excluding non-elective and high risk patients. VARIABLES: Demographic characteristics, operative time, anastomosis placement, Follow up: Tolerability variables: beginning peristalsis, beginning bowel movement, time to full diet intake, post-operative stay. Safety variables: mild and persistent vomiting, persistent abdominal distention, wound infection or dehiscence as well as anastomotic leak or dehiscence, reoperation and death. At the end of surgery were randomized to: 1. Experimental group(EG): Early feeding group, after a 24 hours fasting period, with good abdominal conditions (once the post operative ileus had solved), oral fluids and diet was started. 2. Control group (CG): obligatory 5-day fasting. Once the regular diet was tolerated, the patients were discharged. Statistics: Descriptive statistics for global description. Student's t test for quantitative variables and Chi square test for qualitative variables, a p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.