Early Enteral Nutrition Following Gastrointestinal Surgery in Children: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Systematic review of 451 pediatric patients demonstrates that early enteral feeding (≤24 hours postoperatively) following GI surgery is safe, with no increased risk of complications compared to traditional prolonged fasting. While early feeding reduces time to first feed, current evidence shows no significant impact on hospital stay or major complications, highlighting the need for larger trials.