Let food be thy medicine….

Abstract

Although Hippocrates probably never stated the exact words that are often attributed to him (let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food), he did consider nutrition as an integral part of a doctor’s armamentarium. Perioperative nutrition support should be at the forefront of every surgeon’s mind, especially as many conditions requiring surgery are naturally associated with a catabolic state and a high risk of nutritional deficiencies, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There have been significant advances in the medical management of IBD over the past 20 years; however, many patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) still require surgery. The prevalence of malnutrition has been reported as high as 82.8% in patients with active CD[1] and that of sarcopenia to be up to 70%,[2] and these are associated with increased frequency and severity of postoperative complications.[3]