Postoperative patients are randomized by a sealed envelope to receive either a 50:50 (vol/vol) mixture of an oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids and soybean oil (termed MCT/LCT) or a mixture of MCT/LCT and fish oil Omegaven for 7 days. Full blood count, biochemistry and coagulation are routinely assessed. Fresh blood samples are centrifuged into plasma, red blood cells and lymphocytes then stored at -80°C pending analysis.
The primary endpoint was numbers of infective complications.Secondary endpoints were other clinical outcomes, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital mortality, along with plasma immunological markers.
