Background: Gastrointestinal hemorrhage (GH) is one of the most serious complications after cardiovascular surgery. The aim of the study was to provide an optimal therapeutic strategy for preventing postoperative GH in high-risk patients. Methods: This retrospective case-control study included 188 adult patients at high risk of postoperative GH. These patients were divided into two groups based on a strategy for preventing postoperative GH: Group A (n = 97) received continuous intravenous infusion of proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) combined with early enteral nutrition, and Group B (n = 91) received a bolus intravenous infusion of PPI combined with late enteral nutrition. The clinical features of the groups were examined.
Results: The incidence of postoperative GH in the patients of group A was significantly lower than the patients in group B. The duration from the end of surgery to eating for the first time in the patients of group A was significantly shorter than in the patients of group B. A descending trend in 30-day mortality was observed in the patients of group A compared with group B, but no significant difference was found between the two groups.
Conclusion: Continuous intravenous infusion of PPI combined with early enteral nutrition could effectively prevent GH and reduce 30-day mortality after cardiovascular surgery in high-risk patients.
The Efficacy of Postoperative Early Enteral Nutrition in High-Risk Patients Treated by Total Gastrectomy