Abstract:

[Abstract]   Objective   To investigate the best time to establish the enteral nutrition (EN) in elderly patients with se?
vere craniocerebral diseases.   Methods   Eighty-one elderly patients were divided into groups A, B and C. The EN support  were given 24 h, 25-48 h, and 49-72 h after surgery. Changes of serum biochemical indexes, complications and GCS score were detected and statistical analysed.   Results   The serum levels of albumin and hemoglobin were significantly increased in group B than those of group A and group C. The total number of lymphocytes was significantly higher in group A and group B than that of group C (P＜ 0.05). The amount of diarrhea was significantly fewer 7-day after operation in group B than that of group A (3.6% vs 26.9%). The amount of stress ulcer was significantly fewer in group B than that of group C (0 vs 22.2%). The amounts of lung infections (10.7% vs 38.5%) and stress ulcer (3.6% vs 25.9%) were significantly fewer 14-day after operation in group B than those of group A. The scores of GCS were significantly higher 14-day after operation in group B than those of group A and group C (10.2±1.3 vs 9.5±1.2 vs 9.4±1.2, P＜ 0.05).   Conclusion   The establishment of EN support 25to 48 hours after surgery may meet the need of nutritional and metabolic support, reduce complications, be conducive to the
consciousness recovery in elderly patients with severe craniocerebral diseases.

Key words: Old people, brain injury, cerebral hemorrhage, enteral nutrition