[Postoperative nutrition in patients with head and neck cancer]

Patients who underwent surgery for head and neck malignant neoplasms are problematic because dysphagia, pain and postoperative secuelaes. Nutritional support is necessary in more than 90% of all patients with head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study is to determine nutritional support in these patients and problems related to nutrition.

Fifty-four patients with oral and pharyngolaryngeal carcinomas underwent surgery were studied prospectively. We studied nutritional support (oral nutrition, enteral nutrition or parenteral nutrition) and problems related to nutrition: aspiration neumoniae and pharyngostoma.

The 7% of the patients underwent oral feeding after surgery, 87% enteral nutrition with nasogastric tube and 6% parenteral nutrition. We identified neumoniae in 6% of patients and faringocutaneous fistula in 19%. When patients leaved the hospital, 98% of the patients underwent oral feeding and one patient had nasopharyngeal tube for enteral nutrition.

1. Artificial nutrition was necessary in 93% patients with oropharyngolaryngealcancer; 2. Enteral nutrition was the most useful modality of alimentation (87%); 3.25% of patients had postoperative complications: (18% pharyngostoma, 6% neumoniae); 4. Oral feeding was possible in 98% of patients out of hospital.