Timing of oral feeding following head and neck mucosal free flap reconstruction - A systematic review and meta-analysis.
He Brandon, Chia Jake, Riffat Faruque, +2 more·Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS
BACKGROUND: Timing of oral feeding following head and neck mucosal free-flap reconstruction is a highly contentious issue. The typical 6-12 days "nil-by-mouth' primarily revolves around the concern for post-operative complications. Conversely, early feeding has been shown to reduce the patient's stress response, optimi…