NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH GASTROINTESTINAL FISTULAS

Nutritional support plays a key and integral role in the management of patients with gastrointestinal fistulas. It needs to be instituted ea rly to minimize erosion of body cell mass, to prevent further physiolo gic deterioration of the patient, and to initiate repletion in an othe rwise malnourished patient. Furthermore, it allows for rest of the gas trointestinal tract and facilitates healing of the fistula.