Nutrition support for adults: oral nutrition support, enteral tube feeding and parenteral nutrition

If you are having an operation

If you are in hospital to have an operation and you are malnourished you may be offered different foods and drinks to improve your diet. For example, you may need to eat more high calorie foods, such as butter, milk and sugar, or you may need vitamin or mineral supplements. You should have nutrition support before and after your operation in line with the requirements of your operation.

If you are malnourished and you are having an operation on your gut – that is, your stomach or intestine – you may be given a liquid feed through a tube before your operation. This type of feeding is called enteral feeding and is described in more detail in Tube feeding.

If you are not malnourished and you have had an operation and are expected to be eating a normal diet within 5 days you should not be offered enteral tube feeding within 48 hours of your operation.