Metin Eser and Abdulkadir Yektas
Aim: Malnutrition is a common problem in hospitalized patients. Early diagnosis of malnutrition and proper nutritional support decrease the formation of risks due to disease and also minimize morbidity and mortality. In this study, we aimed to determine the nutritional status and nutritional support needs of patients that hospitalized to our clinic for surgery.
Materials and Methods: NRS-2002 assessment system was used to evaluate the nutritional status of the patients hospitalized in the general surgery clinic of our hospital, and the preoperative nutritional risks of the patients were determined and postoperative mortality and morbidity numbers were determined.
Results: Preoperative NRS values of 1119 patients were zero (52.7%) for 590 patients, one (25.2%) for 282 patients, two (17.1) for 191 patients, three (4.0%) for 45 patients, 6 four (0.5%) for patients, five (0.2%) for two patients, six (0.3%) for three patients.
Conclusion: Patients scheduled for surgery are at risk for nutrition. Appropriate nutritional support should be initiated in these patients in the early period. We think that the introduction of nutritional support to preoperative patients with NRS values of 3 or higher will reduce the duration of hospital stay and costs in the post-operative period.
