Pediatric perioperative nutritional assessment and support

Perioperative nutritional support reduces the healthcare burden of pediatric malnutrition and its risk. Strategic preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic nutritional management guidelines are now available for their optimization. The global needs for pediatric surgery are vast, amounting to millions of children and adolescents, with a corresponding workforce requirement, especially in less socioeconomically developed regions, and where malnutrition is endemic. Acute and elective surgery from neonate to adolescent, for congenital to infective, neoplastic and traumatic conditions, are involved. To identify, highlight and critique current perioperative pediatric nutrition guidelines with regard to availability, utility, affordability and accuracy. Advantages and limitations of nutritional methodologies are taken into account in an algorithmic approach to perioperative decision-making to optimise outcomes. Routine documentation, monitoring and surveillance of pediatric nutritional status as a contributor to surgical risk management should increase its benefits, and reduce costs.