THE ROLE OF NUTRITIONAL THERAPY IN THE RECOVERY OF CHILDREN AFTER CARDIAC SURGERY

Background: Congenital heart defects in children often require surgical correction during early infancy. Postoperative recovery is significantly influenced by timely and individualized nutritional support. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of individualized nutritional therapy during the early postoperative period in children after cardiac surgery and its impact on clinical outcomes, recovery duration, and the incidence of postoperative complications. Methods: This prospective study included 80 pediatric patients aged 2 months to 5 years who underwent open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients were divided into two groups: a control group receiving standard nutritional support and an intervention group receiving individualized nutritional therapy according to ESPEN (2020) and ASPEN (2017) guidelines. Anthropometric measurements, laboratory parameters, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital, and postoperative complications were assessed. Results: Patients in the intervention group demonstrated significantly improved nutritional status, higher levels of albumin and prealbumin, lower C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and better hematological profiles. The intervention group showed a 35% reduction in ICU stay duration and a signifiАcant decrease in total hospitalization time and the rate of postoperative complications compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Early initiation of individualized, nutrient-enriched nutritional therapy after cardiac surgery promotes faster recovery, reduces inflammatory responses, shortens ICU and hospital stays, and decreases the incidence of postoperative complications in pediatric patients. Personalized nutritional strategies are critical for optimizing postoperative outcomes in this vulnerable population.