Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-19-2025

Identifier

DOI: 10.3390/nu17223609; PMCID: PMC12655550

Abstract

Optimal nutritional therapy is important for infants and children with perioperative congenital heart disease and heart failure. Medical providers face physiological and metabolic challenges when administering enteral and parenteral nutrition to these patients. Complications related to enteral nutrition can increase morbidity and mortality, although outcomes are improved in those cases in which caloric and nutrient administration can be achieved. Consensus regarding feeding strategies and timing of nutritive care is lacking. This narrative review aims to summarize, analyze and discuss the most recent literature on nutritional therapy in perioperative congenital heart disease, heart failure and pediatric patients requiring mechanical circulatory support in the intensive care unit. We also present our own institution's enteral feeding protocols and rationale for their use supported by evidence-based medicine.

Journal Title

Nutrients

Volume

17

Issue

22

MeSH Keywords

Humans; Heart Defects, Congenital; Heart Failure; Perioperative Care; Child; Infant; Enteral Nutrition; Parenteral Nutrition; Child, Preschool; Nutritional Status; Nutritional Support

PubMed ID

41305659

Keywords

cardiac necrotizing enterocolitis; congenital heart disease; enteral nutrition; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; indirect calorimetry; parenteral nutrition; resting energy expenditure; ventricular assist device

Comments

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Publisher's Link: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/22/3609

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