Nutrition After Surgery

How Is Nutrition After Surgery?

After the operation, the patient should pay attention to himself in terms of both nutrition and vital activities. For this reason, the most curious point of the people who have surgery is how they should be fed. It is important that the post-operative nutrition  program is done correctly. Adequate calorie intake with the right nutrition program accelerates the recovery period of the patient. For this reason, weight loss programs should be avoided during post-operative nutrition unless necessary.

What should be considered in post-operative nutrition?

Proper nutrition is very important for the body to recover faster after the surgery and for the surgical wounds to heal faster. Postoperative nutrition may differ according to the operation performed. Not every food can be consumed after every surgery, so the nutrition list should be created in the presence of a dietitian and a doctor. The post-operative nutrition list should include liquid and easily digestible foods in the first days.

After the patient’s appetite is restored, it is necessary to consume a sufficient amount of each food step by step  . In this process, additional vitamin, mineral and protein supplements can be taken with the doctor’s recommendation. Switch to a protein-based diet. Especially pears, apples, oranges, dark green leafy vegetables, etc., which will activate the digestive system. You need to consume fibrous foods. Because the constipation that may occur after the surgery may cause the patient to have difficulty, and in such a case, the surgical wounds may be damaged and the recovery process of the body will be delayed.

During post-operative nutrition, it is necessary to avoid consuming excessively fatty, spicy and  salty foods . Consumed foods are important for the storage of vitamins and minerals. Unprocessed foods should be consumed in the postoperative nutrition program, and ready-made packaged foods should not be kept.

How Should Nutrition Be After Gallbladder Surgery?

After gallbladder  surgery, complaints such as nausea and vomiting may occur. In cases where these complaints are present, it is necessary to apply a bile diet to the patient in order to prevent the loss of nutrients and minerals, to prevent recurrence of gallstone formation and to prevent complications. The bile diet list should be prepared by a dietitian to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

Bile diet  should be prepared considering the age, gender, height and weight status of the patient in order to increase the quality of life of the patient. After the operation, oral feeding should not be given until the patient has gas.

After gallbladder surgery, patients are fed gradually. During post-operative nutrition, foods not recommended by the dietitian should not be consumed and especially fatty foods should be avoided. Fiber source foods should be preferred to prevent diarrhea after surgery. Especially fresh vegetables and fruits are recommended. In the bile diet list, 45-55% of daily calories can be composed of carbohydrates, 12-15% protein and 20-25% fat source foods.

Foods that should not be consumed after gallbladder surgery are:

• All fatty foods, fried foods,
• Meat, chicken and fish varieties,
• Oily Nuts,
• Delicatessen products,
• Prepared packaged foods,
• Eggs and foods containing eggs,
• Vegetables and legumes with gas producing properties,
• Cream and cream
• Spices,
• Strong tea and coffee, instant drinks, alcohol, mineral water,
• Pickles, vinegar, garlic, lemon salt.

Foods that can be consumed after gallbladder surgery are:

• Open tea, ayran, linden, salep and herbal teas,
• Milk, nonfat cheese and yoghurt,
• Vegetable oils (olive oil)
• Cereals such as white bread, pasta, rice, plain crackers, semolina, vermicelli,
• Of the spice varieties, only cinnamon, mint and thyme,
• Raw and peeled fruits (especially bananas, apples, peaches, apricots, seedless grapes, cherries)
• Molasses, jam, honey, milk desserts,
• Thoroughly mashed vegetable soups, tomato soup, noodle or rice soups, bitter tarhana, highland soup.

Nutritional recommendations after gallbladder surgery can be summarized as follows:

• After the surgery, 3 main meals should be made a day.
• Snacks should be made 2 or 3 times a day.
• There should be 2-3 hour breaks between meals.
• Meal portions should be followed and attention should be paid to foods that should not be consumed.
• Foods that can cause bloating and gas in the stomach should be avoided.

How Should Nutrition Be After Gastric Surgery?

Many of the problems in the digestive system are caused by the stomach and gastric surgery is performed to solve these problems. These surgeries also cause changes in the diet of the stomach. Especially  people who cannot get rid of their excess weight with sports  and diet resort to stomach surgery. It is possible for the patient to lose weight with these surgeries, but these surgeries are not guaranteed not to gain weight forever. For this reason, the daily calorie amount should be under control in the post-operative diet. The delicate effects of stomach surgery continue for the first 3 months.

In order for the person to lose weight after stomach surgery, a proper nutrition program should be established. It is important to eat only liquid foods for the first 3-4 days after the surgery. Then, the transition to complementary foods is made gradually. During the transition to additional foods, especially soup, yogurt, white cheese and biscuits are recommended.  Postoperative nutrition  should be made with soft foods, especially soft vegetables and fruit purees for the first 1 month. Towards the end of 1 month, egg consumption may start for breakfast.

Grilled fish is recommended for dinner. After the first 1 month is completed in this way, the period of protecting the stomach should continue until the 3rd month. In this process, vegetables and meat dishes are started to be consumed. After that, legume consumption is started. Meat and chicken products can be boiled and added to meals. After the first 3 months are completed, the stomach returns to its normal order, but the patient should still not follow the pre-operative  diet  . Especially the consumption of fatty and sugary foods should be minimized.

How should nutrition be after gastric sleeve surgery?

After gastric surgery  , the nutrition program should be prepared in the presence of a dietitian and a doctor. With sleeve gastrectomy surgery, the patient’s stomach is reduced and the part where the hormone Ghrelin is secreted, which gives the feeling of hunger, is removed. Thus, the patient becomes full faster by consuming less food and loses weight by being less hungry. However, in order for this weight loss to continue in a healthy way, the patient should be fed in accordance with the nutrition program.

Dietitian support is essential for post-operative nutrition and the diet  list to be applied  should be personal. Vitamin and protein supplements should be taken after the surgery. Care should be taken to ensure that the foods consumed are fat-free and low-calorie foods. In addition, the daily calorie calculation and the fat ratio of the foods should be calculated in order to prevent weight gain with post-operative nutrition.

After the surgery, the patient should be fed with completely liquid foods in the first week and with pureed foods after the second week. Towards the end of the first month, the transition to complementary foods and solid foods is made gradually. It takes about 3 months for the stomach to return to its normal order   , and in this process, the recommendations of the doctor and dietitian should be followed.

Postoperative nutritional recommendations can be listed as follows:

• To acquire healthy eating habits,
• Prefer calorie-free and sugar-free drinks,
• Avoiding simple carbohydrates
• Avoiding packaged foods and foods containing sugar,
• Not drinking liquids with meals
• Not drinking water for at least 30 minutes after a meal,
• Chew solid foods thoroughly and consume slowly,
• Taking vitamin, protein and mineral supplements.

How should nutrition be after appendicitis surgery?

The patient can start feeding 6 hours after appendicitis  surgery. If the patient does not have a special condition, there is no need to apply a special diet list to the patient after appendicitis surgery. However, the needs of the body should be met by eating a healthy and balanced diet.

Protein supplements, fruits, vegetables and natural products should be included in the daily nutrition program after appendicitis surgery  . Particular attention should be paid to consuming foods rich in vitamins, minerals and calcium. With these nutritional recommendations, complications that may occur in the body are prevented. After appendicitis surgery; It is recommended to stay away from bad habits such as alcohol and smoking.