Nutrition for babies after surgery
| Location: | Unit of Paediatric Surgery, Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Immunbiology Unit, and Unit of Nutrition, at the Institute of Child Health, University College London and the Pharmacy Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, in conjunction with the Royal Liverpool Children’s NHS Trust and the Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Liverpool and the Institute of Child Health, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool |
|---|---|
| Amount: | £88,009 |
| Status: | Research completed |
| Start Date: | 1st April 2002 |
| Finish Date: | 31st January 2006 |
| Grantholder: | Professor Agostino Pierro MD, FRCS(Ed), FRCS(Engl), FAAP, Dr Angela M Wade PhD Dr Nigel J Klein MRCP, PhD, Dr Simon J Eaton PhD, Professor Lewis Spitz PhD, FRCS, Miss Kathryn M Bethune BSc, MRPharmS, Dr Virgilio P Carnielli MD, FRCP, PhD, Mr Anthony J Nunn FRPharmS, Dr Hendrick Van Saene MD, PhD, FRCPath, Dr Carol Dezateux MD, FRCP and Professor David A Lloyd MChir, FRCS, FCS(SA) |
| Research worker: | Miss E Ong |
Every year in the UK at least 1500 newborn babies require an operation for diseases of the intestine. Following these operations the babies cannot be fed by mouth and are fed by drip (parenteral nutrition) until the intestine recovers. This artificial feed increases the risk of infection and may damage the liver if given for a long time. Glutamine, a nutrient present in mothers’ milk, may enhance recovery and reduce infection. This study will determine whether adding glutamine to parenteral nutrition is beneficial to babies after bowel operations.
