Effects of Early Enteral Nutrition With a Locally Produced Protein-energy Ration Versus a Marketed Nutritional Solution in Patients Operated on for Acute Generalized Peritonitis

Hospitals in South Kivu always have problems supplying artificial enteral nutritional products because of their high cost and low availability in our areas. While the Province has cereals, knowing their nutritional composition would enable the formulation of a nutritional product based on local protein-energy products. Hence the questions below: Can a local cereal-based protein-energy ration be used instead of a costly imported artificial nutritional solution to improve the nutritional status of patients operated on for PAG? What is the tolerance of this early enteral nutrition on the healing and functional recovery of patients compared with an artificial nutritional solution? To answer these questions, a randomized clinical trial has been designed with the following objectives:

• To formulate an enteral diet using cereals available in our environment with a protein-calorie composition superimposable on the artificial enteral ration,
• Evaluate the tolerance and advantages of early enteral nutrition with a locally manufactured protein-caloric ration vs. a commercially available artificial nutritional solution in patients undergoing surgery for PAG.