General considerations for patients receiving gastric feeds1:
- Gastric feeds may be necessary to initiate early enteral nutrition but are highly discouraged in the combat trauma patient population during the period of rapid transport to CONUS.
- If the clinical scenario warrants consideration of gastric feeding, it must be discussed with the attending trauma surgeon and coordinated among the entire multidisciplinary team.
- Use of pro-kinetic agents to maximize tolerance to enteral feeding should be attempted before cessation of enteral feeding.
- Gastric residual volumes (GRV) may be utilized, but feeding should not be halted for GRV of less than 500 cc.