Postoperative nutritional support in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

The patient sustaining maxillofacial trauma, disease or deformity presents with unique nutritional problems, especially during the postoperative period. By providing a nutritionally adequate diet in the preoperative and immediate postoperative period and during convalescence, complications can be reduced and healing improved. This paper details the nutritional requirements for patients and the indications for, and complications from, total parenteral nutrition and enteral nutritional support.