A Prospective, Multicentric, Randomized Trial Comparing Early Enteral Nutrition Versus Parenteral Nutrition After Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Pancreaticoduodenectomy is a major surgery burdened by important morbidity and mortality partially related to the altered nutritional status of the patients. The perioperative malnutrition is a major risk factor of postoperative complications and worsens the prognosis of the patients. The perioperative artificial nutrition has for objectives to correct the preoperative malnutrition, and to maintain the nutritional status in the post-operative period. The current guidelines in surgery are in favour of a realisation of a perioperative artificial nutrition support that privilege the enteral nutrition. However, after pancreaticoduodenectomy, the total parenteral nutrition remains most usually used in the early postoperative period, although rare studies suggest a benefit of the enteral nutrition in term of reduction of the post-operative complications. Indeed, no recommendation was formulated concerning early enteral nutrition after pancreaticoduodenectomy because few studies were realized on its profits.

The data of the literature report rates of complications (essentially major) from 49 % to 59 % after major digestive surgery (not only pancreatic) on patients having received a total parenteral nutrition versus rates from 34 to 43.8 % in patients having received an early enteral nutrition.

A preliminary prospective study realized in the investigators centre showed a rate of 74 % complication versus 44 %, respectively in the total parenteral nutrition and early enteral nutrition groups (50 patients in every group, with p < 0.01. All the complications were listed prospectively).

Hypothesis :

The early enteral nutrition will allow, after pancreaticoduodenectomy, a decrease of, at least, 19 % complications of any stage according to the classification of Dindo-Clavien (59 % versus 40 %).