Routine jejunostomy feeding after esophagectomy reduces early weight loss: a cohort study.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Nutrition

Background:

• Jejunostomy feeding tubes are frequently used for postoperative nutritional support in esophagectomy patients.
• The precise impact of jejunostomy feeding on clinical outcomes following esophagectomy remains an area of ongoing investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of routine postoperative jejunostomy feeding on weight change, hospital stay, and long-term survival in patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study analyzed 507 patients who underwent esophagectomy between 2012-2014 and 2016-2019.
• Data compared outcomes between patients receiving routine jejunostomy feeding (introduced in 2015) and those who did not.
• Key outcomes included percentage weight change at various postoperative intervals, hospital stay duration, and long-term survival.

Main Results:

• Jejunostomy-fed patients exhibited significantly less weight loss at 2, 6, and 12 weeks post-surgery compared to non-fed patients.
• The most substantial weight loss reduction was observed in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery.
• Median hospital stay was shorter in the jejunostomy group (11 vs. 15 days), and a trend towards improved long-term survival was noted.

Conclusions:

• Routine postoperative jejunostomy feeding effectively minimizes early postoperative weight loss after esophagectomy.
• The benefits on weight loss are most pronounced in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy but diminish by six months.
• Jejunostomy feeding appears to shorten hospital stays and may be linked to enhanced long-term survival rates.