Publication:

Modalities of enteral feeding practices in patients with head injury: a prospective, non-randomized study

Background Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with increased energy expenditure. Enteral feeding is preferred in such patients and various modes of enteral feeding have been practiced.

Methods A prospective non-comparative study was counducted on the outcome measures of the following enteral feeding practices: feeding gastrostomy, feeding jejunostomy, nasojejunal tube feeding and nasogastric tube feeding.

Results A total of 120 patients with TBI were enrolled. Any significant difference in the laboratory parameters (hemoglobin and serum albumin) was not observed between the study groups. A higher incidence of pulmonary aspiration in patients undergoing nasogastric tube feeding (45%) was found. Diarrhea was observed in 20/120 (16.7%) patients, tubal block in 18/120 (15%) patients, infection of the wound site in 18/120 (15%), burst abdomen in 3/120 (2.5%) and abdominal distension in 21/120 (17.5%) patients. None of the above mentioned complications were significantly different between various modes of enteral feeding.

Conclusions The present study provides the baseline data regarding the different enteral feeding practices and their outcome measures from a developing country. However, large randomized controlled trials are the need of the hour in finding out the best mode of enteral feeding practice.