[Study of different enteral nutrition formulation treatment after esophagectomy]

To compare the efficiency of different early enteral nutrition (EN) with Ensure, Nutrison, and Peptison in postoperative patients with esophageal carcinoma.

A total of 45 postoperative patients with esophageal carcinoma were randomly divided into three groups using random digit table: Ensure group (n=15), Nutrition group (n=15), and Peptison group (n=15). Enteral nutrition was given using nasogastric tube from the 2nd postoperative day for 8 days. Albumin and prealbumin were detected on the day before surgery and postoperative day 9 after fasting. The time to gastrointestinal tract function recovery, complications, and the cost of enteral nutrition were compared among the three groups.

There were no significant differences in postoperative nutrition indices(albumin and prealbumin) and EN-related complications among the three groups(all P>0.05). The time to gastrointestinal tract function recovery in Ensure group [(52.4±15.7) h] and Nutrison group [(50.8±12.4) h] was less than that in Peptison group [(60.3±16.8) h] (P<0.05). The expense of Ensure group [(443.3±45.8) RMB] was obviously less than that of Nutrison group[(639.5±52.6) RMB] and Peptison group [(990.5±95.5) RMB](both P<0.01).

Ensure, Nutrison and Peptison can be used for postoperative early enteral nutrition in patients with esophageal carcinoma, and the efficacy and complication are comparable. The cost of Ensure is the lowest.