Provision of enteral nutrition (EN) has historically been withheld after major abdominal operations until bowel activity returns. Evidence suggests that EN is safe in critically ill patients with a variety of illnesses, specifically after abdominal surgery. There is a strong association between poor nutrition status and worse outcomes in critically ill patients. The fear has been that EN, by virtue of increased luminal pressure or demand to the splanchnic circulation, may compromise the integrity of anastomotic repairs and place patients at risk for complications. In this review, the authors analyze the safety of EN in the setting of the open abdomen, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and perforation peritonitis, with evidence from published clinical trials and meta-analyses.
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