Early oral feeding and its impact on postoperative outcomes in head and neck cancer surgery: a meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Reconstruction
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Postoperative complications are a concern following head and neck reconstructive surgeries using free flaps.
• The timing of oral feeding (early vs. late) is a critical factor influencing patient recovery.
• This study investigates the impact of early oral feeding on outcomes in these specific surgical cases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the association between early oral feeding and postoperative complications.
• To determine the relationship between early oral feeding and the length of hospital stay.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for postoperative feeding protocols in head and neck cancer patients.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science.
• Studies comparing early (within 5 days) versus late (after 5 days) oral feeding were included.
• Meta-analysis of five studies involving 1097 patients was performed using RevMan 5.4.

Main Results:

• Early oral feeding showed no significant association with increased risk of postoperative fistulas, hematoma/seroma, or flap failure.
• A statistically significant reduction in hospital stay was observed for patients receiving early oral feeding (MD -3.18 days).
• The findings suggest early feeding is safe regarding major complications.

Conclusions:

• Early oral feeding does not elevate the risk of common postoperative complications in head and neck cancer patients undergoing free flap reconstruction.
• Implementing early oral feeding is associated with a significant decrease in the duration of hospital stay.
• Surgeons should consider early oral feeding as a beneficial strategy for recovery in these patients.