Superior Nitrogen Balance After Laparoscopic-Assisted Colectomy

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Abstract
Although early resumption of enteral feeding after gastrointestinal surgery results in improved nitrogen balance and lower infectious complications, no postoperative nutritional data after laparoscopic-assisted colectomy exists. Objective authors prospectively compared nitrogen balance after laparoscopic-assisted colectomy versus open colectomy. This is a series of colon resections (open, N = 10; laparoscopic-assisted, N = 9) at the Ferguson-Blodgett Hospital, Grand Rapids, Michigan, between January and March 1993. Nitrogen intake and 24-hour urine collections were performed on postoperative days 1,3, and 7 for the analysis of total urinary nitrogen and urinary 3 methylhistidine-(3mH). Results time to passage of flatus (4.7 ± 0.6; 2.0 ± 0.2), resumption of oral intake (6.1 ± 0.7; 1.4 ± 0.2; p Conclusion Conclusion undergoing laparoscopic-assisted colectomy can achieve early resumption of enteral nutrition with earlier return to positive nitrogen balance compared with open colectomy. This may offer benefits of fewer infectious complications and lower cost of care.