| Abstract: | Postoperative complications, particularly infectious complications, are more frequent in cirrhotic than in non-cirrhotic patients after abdominal surgery. This is probably the result of a decrease in antiinfectious mechanisms in cirrhotic patients, including humoral and cellular immunodeficiency and an increase in bacterial translocation. The immunodeficient status of cirrhotic patients is partly related to malnutrition. Several clinical studies have recently suggested that enteral and parenteral nutrition improve nitrogen balance and nutritional parameters in patients with chronic liver disease. Chronic or acute encephalopathy has also been improved as well as survival. However the beneficial effect of artificial nutrition on postoperative septic complications in cirrhotic patients has so far never been confirmed in a well conducted randomized study. Giving protein and energy support to patients with cirrhosis undergoing abdominal surgery, together with specific measures such as prevention of intraoperative bleeding, treatment of sodium and water retention, and antibiotic prophylaxis against intestinal gram-negative bacteria needs to be further investigated. |
