Oxidative stress due to anesthesia and surgical trauma: importance of early enteral nutrition.

Anesthesia and surgical trauma are considered major oxidative and nitrosative stress effectors resulting in the development of SIRS. In this study we evaluated the usefulness of early enteral nutrition after surgical trauma. Sixty male Wistar rats were subjected to midline laparotomy and feeding-gastrostomy.

Benefits of a synbiotic formula (Synbiotic 2000Forte) in critically Ill trauma patients: early results of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Since probiotics are considered to exert beneficial health effects by enhancing the host's immune response, we investigated the benefits of a synbiotics treatment on the rate of infections, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), severe sepsis, and mortality in critically ill, mechanically ventilated, multiple trauma patients. Length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and number of days under mechanical ventilation were also evaluated.

Method: Sixty-five patients were randomized to receive once daily for 15 days a synbiotic formula (Synbiotic 2000Forte, Medipharm, Sweden) or maltodextrin as placebo.