Management of surgical nutritional complications in developing countries.

The problem of sufficient nitrogen and caloric supply for surgical patients with pronounced protein catabolism under the working conditions of a surgical department in a developing country is discussed. The authors report good success with Vivonex in the postoperative nutrition of patients with a small bowel perforation with typhoid fever and of patients with diffuse peritonitis following a perforated appendix. Vivonex proved its usefulness also in the alimentation of patients with tropical myositis and extensive burns.