Impact of postoperative dietary types on nutrition and treatment prognosis in hospitalized patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgery: a comparative study

Abstract

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study is to compare a nutritionally balanced soft blend diet (SBD) with a soft fluid diet (SFD) on the health of inpatients who have undergone oral and maxillofacial (OMF) surgery, ultimately aiming to enhance care outcomes, improve health-related quality of life (QOL), and increase satisfaction with the hospital. Methods Thirty-two patients were randomized into two groups: sixteen received SFD and sixteen received SBD. Anthropometric, laboratory evaluations were conducted upon admission and discharge. Patients filled out questionnaires on demographics, diet satisfaction, food intake amount, and health-related QOL on the day of discharge, assessed using the EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 3 Level and EuroQoL Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) instruments. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, χ2 tests for group differences, and paired nonparametric t-tests for within-group comparisons. The Mann-Whitney U test evaluated inter-group differences in preoperative weight and body mass index (BMI), postoperative changes, meal satisfaction, intake, health-related QOL, and self-assessed health status. P-values were set at a significance level of 0.05. Results The SBD group had higher dietary intake (63.2% vs. 51.0%) and greater diet satisfaction (80.6 vs. 48.1, P < 0.0001) compared to SFD group. Health-related QOL, measured by EQ-VAS, was better in SBD group (70.3 vs. 58.8, P < 0.05). Postoperative weight and BMI decreased in SFD group but increased in SBD group (P < 0.01). Changes in laboratory results showed more stability in the SBD group. No postoperative infections were reported in SBD group, whereas SFD group had a 31.25% complication rate. Conclusions While SFD is often recommended after OMF surgery to protect oral wound healing process, our study reveals that SBD not only enhances physical and psychological outcomes but also, somewhat unexpectedly, supports wound healing and reduces complications. Essentially, SBD promotes physical recovery and enhances health-related QOL than SFD by supporting both somatic and mental healing aspects.

Keywords

• postoperative nutrition
• oral and maxillofacial surgery
• dental surgery; soft blend diet
• eras