Nutrition And Neurosurgery: A Review

The metabolic and body composition alterations as a result of neurosurgical injury results in special dietary needs for neurosurgical patients. These changes are characterized by the installation of a hypermetabolic and hypercatabolic states, observing a reduction in body reserves of lipids and proteins. The scenario results in poor wound healing and an increased risk of infection. Moreover, with an inadequate nutritional support, patients can develop malnutrition. In the absence of specific guidelines of nutritional support in neurosurgical patients the authors verified the importance in make a review article about nutrition in neurosurgical patients. From the survey conducted in Medline (1976-2010), we observed that the estimated energy is a decisive factor in the patient prognosis, on the other hand, the amino acid supplementation does not seem necessary. It is necessary to conduct examinations of urinary and plasma electrolytes and osmolality. The ideal nutritional support appears to be a combination of precocious enteral and parenteral nutrition in severe neurological status patients to improve clinical outcomes. Whereas it is the responsibility of the nutritionist's dietary prescription, their presence is essential in the multidisciplinary team of nutritional support.