Objective: To examine the effect of post-discharge nutrition management on the growth speed of neonates after bowel surgery.
Methods: Nutrition feeding guidance was carried out in 133 post-discharge infants after surgery through nutrition clinic. The growth speed was detected every month and compared with the normal standards, then the time to accelerate growth speed was evaluated.
Results: The growth speed of neonates in the first postoperative month was lower than the normal standards, especially in males(weight P=0.000; length P=0.041; circumference P=0.010). While during two to three months, male infants showed acceleration in length growth speed [(4.53±1.22) cm vs. (3.1±0.4) cm, P=0.013], and female infants showed acceleration in weight [(1.51±0.76) kg vs. (0.83±0.39) kg, P=0.028] and circumference growth speed [(2.50±0.93) cm vs. (1.2±0.7) cm, P=0.021].
Conclusions: Scientific post-discharge nutrition management helps neonates grow faster after bowl surgery. The two to three months after operation is the key period of growth speed acceleration.