[Experiences with an industrially prepared, fully balanced domestic tube-diet (Nutrodrip) in comparison with usual clinical kitchen tube feeding in postoperative nutrition of jaw surgery patients].

In a clinical study on postoperative nutrition the effects of a industrially prepared native physiological diet were compared with hospital-made nasogastric tube diet in patients who underwent maxillo-facial surgery. Of particular interest were tolerance, healing process, side effects and laboratory parameters. Contents and practicability of the industrially prepared diet fulfilled the expectations. Moreover, the advantage of availability at any time, exact balance and dosage, sterility and stability is evident. Despite lower input of industrially made diet decrease in bodyweight did not differ in both groups. There was also no evident diet-related difference in laboratory parameters. Although some patients felt heart burn, early satiation and subjective rejection against a 'sterile bottled diet', the use of the tested industrially prepared native physiological diet seems to be convenient especially in hospitals where fabrication of balanced nasogastric tube diet is not possible. Our suggestions for improvement of acceptance have already been taken into consideration by the manufacturer.