Markers of Brain Damage in Severe Concomitant Injury

Abstract

The paper describes a clinical case of early enteral feeding with an immune formula in a patient with significant heart failure after cardiosurgical intervention who is on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The safety and efficiency of nutritional support were monitored, by estimating blood acid-base balance and oxygenation level and by controlling the residual gastric volume, which enabled the volume of the given enteral mixture to be increased up to 2600 kcal by day 3, by providing the body’s energy needs determined by calculation techniques. On postoperative day 4 when hemodynamic parameters were satisfactory, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was disconnected; following 7 days the patient was weaned from artificial ventilation. The length of intensive care unit stay was 14 days. The patient was discharged from hospital in a satisfactory condition. Thus, early enteral feeding may be a safe and effective method of nutritional support in patients on extracorporeal circulation. Key words: extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, early enteral feeding, immune nutrition, cardiosurgery.