Dietary adjustment after rectal cancer surgery

Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor among anorectal diseases and a lifestyle disease. Patients should pay more attention to improving bad living habits after surgery to improve their quality of life and minimize the recurrence of rectal cancer.

The specific postoperative diet is as follows:

First of all, rectal cancer patients should start their early postoperative diet under the guidance of medical staff. The nutrients in food can promote the repair of traumatic tissues, help wound healing and postoperative recovery of the body, shorten the course of treatment, and replenish nutrients in time, which plays an important role in the recovery of rectal cancer surgery.

Secondly, in addition to eating some highly nutritious and easily digestible soft foods, patients after rectal cancer surgery should follow the principle of dietary conditioning from less to more, from thin to thick, from simple to diverse, with a low-residue, non-irritating and light diet as the main focus, and try to reduce the amount and frequency of fecal discharge in the early postoperative period. Diet should be moderate, 3 to 4 meals a day, and the degree of comfort after eating should be the most important.

Again, ileostomy patients should pay attention to replenishing water and inorganic salts, because colon resection affects the reabsorption of water and inorganic salts, which can easily lead to water and electrolyte imbalance. Especially in hot weather and when sweating profusely, they should replenish water appropriately.

Finally, if the patient's stoma is in the abdomen, the patient should avoid certain foods in order to reduce flatulence, reduce odor, and maintain smooth bowel movements.

Dietary taboos are as follows:

1. Avoid overeating.

2. Avoid smoking and drinking.

3. Avoid spicy foods such as chili peppers and pepper. Eat low-residue, non-irritating foods. Pay attention to a reasonable combination of dietary nutrition and eat more fresh green leafy vegetables.

4. Avoid eating foods that cause frequent bowel movements and produce gas. Foods that are corrupted and fermented by intestinal bacteria can produce a large amount of hydrogen sulfide, which can cause abdominal distension, frequent flatulence, and odor.

5. Avoid inhaling carbonated drinks and beer, which will cause increased flatulence.

6. Avoid eating cancer-causing and cancer-promoting foods, such as: fried dough sticks, fried pork chops, burnt meat, fish, roasted chicken, etc.

7. Avoid eating foods rich in crude fiber, such as celery, leeks and other high-fiber foods. Because of the high fiber content and coarse fibers, they can easily cause oral obstruction during excretion. Try to avoid or reduce consumption;

8. Avoid eating irritating foods: such as pig heads, chicken heads, shrimps, crabs, mutton, etc.