Short-term effects of supplementary feeding with enteral nutrition via jejunostomy catheter on post-gastrectomy gastric cancer patients

Background Most gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy develop malnutrition.It is,therefore,crucial toestablish an effective means to provide nutrition for these patients.To perform home enteral nutrition(EN)to ensureadequate nutritional intake in gastric cancer patients,we placed a jejunostomy catheter during gastric surgery.Mostpatients showed improved nutritional status.Methods Twenty-nine inpatients at our hospital underwent radical gastrectomy and jejunostomy from December 2002to December 2007 and were designated as the jejunostomy group,and 32 matched patients without a jejunostomy tubewere designated as the tube-free group.The jejunostomy group was treated with EN from 72 hours to 3 monthspostoperatively.The tube-free group did not receive EN.Data including preoperative and postoperative body weight,body mass index(BMI),nutrition risk screening(NRS)score,Karnofsky performance score(KPS),and laboratorybiochemical indicators were documented respectively and compared.Results Compared with preoperative week 1,both groups showed decreased body weight and BMI at 3 monthspostoperatively.The weight loss in the jejunostomy group((7.1±3.3)kg)was significantly less than that in the tube-freegroup((9.9±3.1)kg).Similarly,BMI decreased by(2.4±1.0)kg/m~2 in the jejunostomy group,which was significantly lessthan in the tube-free group((3.2±0.9)kg/m~2).The number of patients with postoperative NRS ≥3 was decreased in thejejunostomy group,but was increased in the tube-free group,and this difference was significant.There were nosignificant differences between the two groups in total lymphocyte count,hemoglobin,albumin and prealbumin,andadverse drug effects.Conclusions Short-term(3 months)EN supplementation via jejunostomy tube can reduce the risk of malnutrition andweight loss,and improve tolerance of chemotherapy.Tube feeding is reliable for achieving these goals because it is notimportant whether or not the patients have appetites.