Complications associated with enteral nutrition using catheter jejunostomy after esophagectomy

The present study was conducted on 78 patients, encountered over a 7-year period, who had a catheter-feeding jejunostomy placed at the time of thoracoabdominal esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. A broad-based attachment of the jejunal wall to the peritoneum at the place of entry of the catheter was used. Enteral nutrition was begun an average of 10 days after the operation, the caloric content was increased gradually, and the mean duration was 69 days. There were three patients who suffered from local skin erosion at the site of catheter entry, and seven who developed diarrhea and/or a feeling of abdominal fullness, but none of the patients showed any signs of peritonitis or ileus. The morbidity rates related to enteral nutrients and placement of the catheter jejunostomy were 8.9% and 3.8%, respectively. These findings demonstrate that a broad-based attachment of the jejunal wall to the peritoneum at the place of entry of the catheter is useful for preventing leakage or twisting of the jejunum, and for reducing the incidence and severity of the complications of catheter jejunostomy feeding.