Early Versus Traditional Oral Feeding Following Elective Colorectal Surgery: A Literature Review.

Traditional feeding protocols withhold oral intake until the return of bowel function for concern of postoperative complications following elective colorectal surgery. Implementation of early feeding into clinical practice challenges this conventional approach. The purpose of this literature review is to analyze the current evidence and compare the impact of traditional versus early oral feeding protocols on postoperative outcomes following elective colorectal resection.