[Calorie requirement after major abdominal surgery (author's transl)].

After major abdominal surgery 32 patients received a parenteral nutrition for 6 days with 360 g of a carbohydrate mixture (levulose:glucose:xylitol = 2:1:1) and 100 g of an L-amino acid mixture/24 h. 16 patients with benign disease showed positive nitrogen balances, 16 patients with malignant diseases balanced or slightly negative nitrogen balances. Postoperatively, blood glucose levels did not require insulin. Less than 1.5% of the infused levulose, 2.0% of glucose and 2.4-4.1% of xylitol were found in urine. C3- and C4- complement levels in serum were below normal, transferrin showed a pathological decrease in carcinoma patients.