NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT IN ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

The field of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery has changed considerably over past few decades, but there still is lack of knowledge and interest in maxillofacial surgeons about importance of nutrition in patients undergoing maxillofacial procedures.Unlike other general surgeries, the patient sustaining maxillofacial trauma, disease or deformity presents with unique nutritional problems, especially during the postoperative period, as the surgeries done in oral and maxillofacial region impairs normal food intake by oral cavity which is the preferred commonly used route.It is important for the surgeon to have an understanding of the presurgical nutritional state of the patient in order to adequately plan for and prevent any complications which might arise due to a poor healing of the tissues.  If one is unable to correct this prior to surgery then the patient should be prescribed postoperative nutritional support to maintain an adequate protein calorie intake to promote complete would healing.Malnutrition in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery patients increases the postoperative morbidity and mortality rate. Nutrition in jaw fractures treated with intermaxillary fixation is more compromised. Healing is impaired in malnourished, critically ill, elderly, and patients with prolonged stay in hospital and hence nutrition in the form of oral, enteral and parenteral route plays a major role in providing nutritional care. By providing a nutritionally adequate diet in the preoperative and immediate postoperative period and during recovery, complications can be reduced and healing improved. This book is an attempt to provide the basic knowledge to maxillofacial surgeons about nutritional assessment and methods to provide nutritional support to patients undergoing various maxillofacial surgical procedures.