Abstract
The occurrence of maldigestion and malnutrition was studied in 14 patients who had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomy and occlusion of the Wirsung duct with Neoprene(®). Before discharge patients were put on a 70 g/day dietary fat intake. Mean faecal fat excretion was 32.9 g/day without enzyme replacement and fell to 14.2 g/day with pancrelipase supplementation. At discharge all patients were underweight (88 per cent of the usual mean body-weight) and nine patients showed alteration in laboratory nutritional parameters. At the time of discharge a low-fat diet (50 g/day) was prescribed. Six months after surgery, mean faecal fat excretion decreased further to 8.3 g/day (P <0.01) and all patients but one gained weight, reaching 93 per cent of the usual mean body-weight with normalized nutritional parameters. Our data show that the combination of enzyme replacement therapy and low-fat diet allows good correction of steatorrhoea and a significant improvement in nutritional status.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 669-672 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | British Journal of Surgery |
Volume | 77 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1990 |
Keywords
- nutritional status
- pancreatic enzymes
- pancreaticoduodenectomy
- steatorrhoea
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery