Outcomes of feeding jejunostomy after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A single-center experience

Feeding jejunostomy tube (FJT) is one option for enteral nutrition after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD); however, controversy regarding its clinical outcome(s) persists. The aim of the present study was to determine the safety and efficacy of FJT management.

Data from 156 consecutive patients, who underwent PD between January 2015 and December 2017, were retrospectively reviewed. Safety was assessed according to postoperative and tube-related complications. Nutritional efficacy was evaluated based on improvement in serum albumin levels.

Thirty-day morbidity and mortality rates were 61.0% (n = 95) and 1.9% (n = 3), respectively. The rates of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula and delayed gastric emptying were 30.8% and 9.0%, respectively. In total, nine (5.8%) patients experienced complications directly related to FJT. Eight patients experienced surgical site infection adjacent to the catheter/skin interface. Although all required catheter removal at the bedside or in the office, none required reoperation. The improvement in serum albumin level 1 month after PD was 40.7% compared with 1 week after PD.

FJT was useful in improving nutritional intake and status. Although FJT was associated with minor self-limiting complications, they could be managed by simple bedside or office treatment. As such, results of this study support the safety and efficacy of the FJT protocol used in the authors' department for nutritional management.