A Guide to Perioperative Nutrition

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511547218.022

APPENDIX A - A Guide to Perioperative Nutrition

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 August 2009

David Rahm M.D.

Edited by

Barry Friedberg

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David Rahm M.D.: Affiliation:
President and CEO Vitamedica, Manhattan Beach, CA
Barry Friedberg: Affiliation:
Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California

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Summary

According to the author, nutritional supplementation in the period before and after surgery can have a significant impact on surgical outcome by reducing bruising, swelling, and inflammation; promoting wound healing; enhancing immunity; and reducing oxidation generated by surgery and anesthetic agents. However, supplements must be administered judiciously; some popular herbal products are contraindicated before and after surgery. Insufficient nutrition impairs wound healing and leaves surgical patients more susceptible to perioperative complications. By addressing nutritional status and providing focused guidance on nutritional supplementation, the aesthetic surgeon can positively influence surgical outcome.

OBESITY, AGING, AND NUTRITION

The risk of death from comorbid conditions increases exponentially as weight increases. Patients who are poorly nourished, obese, and, especially, diabetic are particularly prone to surgery-related complications, including wound infection and poor healing. Most Americans consume diets too high in calories and deficient in essential nutrients. More than 70% of American adults do not even get two thirds of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for one or more nutrients; consumption of fruits and vegetables is notably poor. American meals, loaded with packaged, processed, nutrient-poor foods, contribute to marginal deficiencies that result in a shortage of micronutrients and antioxidants that are particularly important to surgical patients undergoing anesthesia, trauma, and wound healing. Older patients are more susceptible to wound-healing problems because of the interactions of body systems, environmental stresses, and disease. Although they have the capacity to heal well, older patients have a slower recovery rate.

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Type: Chapter
Information: Anesthesia in Cosmetic Surgery , pp. 241 - 247

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511547218.022 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2007

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