USE OF A FEEDING JEJUNOSTOMY AFTER ESOPHAGOGASTRIC SURGERY

Over a 5-year period, 58 patients with oesophageal or gastric malignan cy underwent surgical resection with oesophagogastric or oesophagojeju nal anastomosis. All were fed temporarily with a catheter feeding jeju nostomy placed at the time of surgery. All patients tolerated the feed ing well. There were no catheter-related deaths and only one serious c omplication, formation of an abscess following catheter dislodgement. Experience with this technique suggests that it is a safe and cheap me thod of feeding patients after oesophagogastric surgery. Such patients are particularly suitable for a feeding jejunostomy as they are frequ ently malnourished, rarely have prolonged postoperative ileus and may develop complications that delay the onset of oral intake.