Feeding jejunostomy: is its routine use in major upper gastrointestinal surgery justified?

An audit of jejunostomy feeding following major oesophagogastric surgery was carried out. The aim was to measure caloric and nitrogen intake, weight change, and to record complications. Twenty consecutive patients undergoing elective upper gastrointestinal surgery resulting in either an oesophagogastric or oesophagojejunal anastomosis were studied prospectively. In the eighteen cases whose catheters functioned, average calorie and nitrogen intake per day over the first 10 postoperative days was 1360 Kcal and 7.2 g respectively and average weight loss at 10 days was 1.3 kg. There was one major complication due to catheter dislodgement, resulting in an extraperitoneal abscess and subsequent small bowel fistula. In one other case the catheter was blocked from the immediate postoperative period and this could not be remedied. In the eighteen patients who were fed via the jejunostomy for 10 days, mild diarrhoea occurred in eight cases, but was easily managed. As experience with the technique increased, there was a significant increase in the amount of calories and nitrogen administered. This audit has demonstrated that provided care is taken with the technique of insertion of the jejunostomy catheter, satisfactory nutritional support can be provided in patients following oesophageal anastomoses with a low morbidity rate.