Behera BK, et al. - This study supports the safety and efficacy of early enteral nutrition (EEN) as an isolated component of enhanced recovery in children following bowel anastomosis surgery and its correlation with a lower overall incidence of complications as compared to late enteral nutrition (LEN).

• Medical search engines (PubMed, CENTRAL, Google scholar) yielded data of 1,286 children from 10 studies for inclusion in this review. 

• The EEN and LEN groups did not differ in the incidence of anastomotic leak, abdominal distention, wound dehiscence or vomiting. 

• The EEN group had significantly lower incidence of surgical site infections (7.51% vs 11.72%), septic complications (14.02% vs 26.22%) as well as pooled overall complications (8.11% vs 11.27%).

• The EEN group had significantly less time to passage of first feces and the length of hospital stay.