No DIET Trial: Dogmatic Interruption of Enteral nuTrition

The risk for malnutrition-associated complications is high for patients in the trauma- surgical-, and neurological intensive care units. Patients with persistent neurologic impairment often require nutritional supplementation through a variety of naso-enteral or surgical feeding tubes such as percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes. In patients with a protected airway, enteral nutrition has been reported to continue during invasive surgical procedures. Nonetheless, University Hospital's current SOC for holding enteral nutrition prior to undergoing surgical procedures under anesthesia is 8 hours. However, the current American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) guidelines do not make provision for inpatients receiving supplemental enteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition contains protein, fat, and carbohydrates, mimicking what patients would consume with a solid food meal. Balancing the need of optimized nutrition in critically ill patients with an unprotected airway against the risk of aspiration during surgical procedures brings a need for clear guidance on when to hold enteral nutrition prior to undergoing a tracheostomy procedure.