16 September 2009

Dietitians battling to build-up military patients

Military patients transferred from field hospitals with serious injuries are being given vital nutritional intervention to minimise weight/muscle loss, promote wound healing and optimise a patient’s recovery from their injuries

Many of these injuries are the result of incendiary explosive device blasts, which can cause multiple severe injuries such as amputation, head injuries, shrapnel injuries/lacerations and burns that may require multiple complex surgeries and procedures.

Speaking at the British Dietetic Association annual conference in Manchester, specialist trauma Dietitian, Susan Duff - based at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBFT) - told of the vital role nutrition plays in treating injured soldiers.  With the aid of nutritional tools like enteral feeding, food fortification and nutritional supplement drinks, good nutrition promotes healing wounds, burns and broken bones as well as minimising weight loss and aids rehabilitation. 

Military personnel on deployment may have a change in body composition and often having a higher lean body mass and less fat than the average patient. This requires careful calculation, assessment and adaptation of current practice to take into account the particular needs of this group of patients. Estimated nutritional requirements can be up to 4000kcal per day (over twice the guideline daily amount) just to prevent further weight loss and involves double portions of a high protein menu including cooked breakfast, build up drinks, meal vouchers for extra snacks all topped off with overnight nasogastric feeding, Careful weekly monitoring is used to pick up any signs of malnutrition.

Susan Duff said: “The NHS and the military work closely together to provide the best care of military and civilian trauma patients at UHB. Treating injured military personnel is challenging but enormously rewarding. Nutrition is such an important part of their treatment and rehabilitation. Research has been proposed in this area to continue to improve the nutritional treatment for these patients.”

Media enquiries to The British Dietetic Association should be directed to our media hotline on 0870 850 2517 or pr@bda.uk.com.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

  1. The British Dietetic Association, founded in 1936, is the professional association for registered dietitians in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  It is the nation’s largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals with nearly 6,000 members. About two-thirds of members are employed in the National Health Service.  The remaining members work in education, industry, research, sport settings or freelance.
  2. Registered dietitians hold the only legally-recognisable graduate qualification in nutrition and dietetics.  They are experts in interpreting and translating the science of nutrition into practical ways of promoting nutritional well-being, disease treatment and the prevention of nutrition-related problems.  Their advice is sound and based on current scientific evidence. Registration, awarded by the Health Professionals Council, is an indication that a dietitian is fit to practise and is working within an agreed statement of conduct. For further details about the British Dietetic Association, please visit our website: www.bda.uk.com.

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