Nutritional concepts and considerations in head and neck surgery

✍ Scribed by Dr. Edwin F. Williams III; Michael M. Meguid

• Book ID: 102848434
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 743 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1043-3074
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.2880110503

✦ Synopsis

Assessment and correction of malnutrition is a major contribution to the improvements in the pre-and postoperative management of patients with head and neck cancer over the past 20 years. These patients are often in a poor nutritional status and thereby are at a higher operative risk secondary to the local and systemic effects of the tumor and its treatment. This article reviews current data emphasizing preoperative nutritional assessment, modalities available for nutritional therapy in head and neck cancer patients, and indications for perioperative use of these modalities. HEAD & NECK 11 :393-399,1989

Patients with major head and neck tumors are often extremely difficult to manage regarding their nutritional status. They may present with a 20-to 30-pound acute weight loss superimposed on long-term inadequate nutritional intake, alcoholism, and tobacco abuse. Following operation to remove or control their primary cancer, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be indicated for metastatic disease; these modalities may exacerbate postoperative dysphagia and anorexia and lead to further malnutrition from di-From the