It is generally accepted that enteral feeding is preferable to parenteral feeding for critically ill patients, since it reduces mortality, it decreases the number of complications and of course it is much cheaper than parenteral nutrition (Box ). However, achieving targets for feeding remains problematic since delayed gastric emptying, common in such patients, can be a cause of feeding cessation. This article discusses the physiological mechanisms of delayed gastric emptying, the ways in which it can be assessed, and what can be done to remedy matters
