Abstract
Extract: Enteral hyperalimentation with a protein hydrolysate solution was carried out in the pre-operative period in 67 malnourished surgical patients for 10 days. The changes produced in their nutritional status, cellular immune response, humoral immune response, morbidity, mortality, nitrogen balance and serum aminoacid composition were compared with those in 43 control patients. The results showed highly significant advantages of enteral hyperalimentation by all the criteria examined. The protein hydrolysate solution however, caused nausea, vomiting, bloating of the abdomen and diarrhoea, which could be controlled by reducing the osmolarity of the solution. (Author)