USE OF A FEEDING JEJUNOSTOMY AFTER ESOPHAGEAL SURGERY

Over a 3-year period, 52 patients with esophageal malignancy were managed surgically. Twenty seven patients were fed temporarily with a catheter feeding jejunostomy placed at the time of surgery. All patients tolerated the feeding well. There were no catheter-related deaths and there were two cases of catheter blockage. Experience with this technique suggests that it is a safe and a cheap method of feeding patients after esophagogastric surgery. Such patients are particularly suitable for a feeding jejunostomy, as they are frequently malnourished, rarely have prolonged postoperative ileus, and may develop complications that delay the onset of oral intake.