Fast-track Surgery Recovery Program With Early Jejunostomy Nutrition Protocol Minimizes Time to Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for gastric cancer is known to improve prognosis, and longer time to AC is associated with worse survival. However, most clinical trials mandate that AC is still to commence within 6 to 8 weeks after surgery consideration for malnutrition, postoperative complications and intolerance of AC. Placement of jejunostomy nutrition tube for enteral nutrition is a common component of these procedures, as a result of superior postoperative organ function, decreased infection rates, and a greater likelihood to complete AC with enteral nutritional support.

Fast-track surgery (FTS) recovery program focuses on enhancing recovery and reducing morbidity. Introduction of FTS concepts are safe, feasible, and can achieve shorter hospital stays and reduced costs. Early postoperative enteral nutrition combined with FTS results in reductions in total complications compared with traditional postoperative feeding practices and does not negatively affect outcomes. However, the benefit of jejunostomy nutrition tube routine placement and combination with FTS is still being debated. Besides, there remains some controversy over the optimal combination of nutrients and duration and timing and routes of feed administration.

The aim of this study was to determine whether FTS with early jejunostomy nutrition (EJN) following laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer improved postoperative recovery and minimizes time to AC when compared with FTS with early oral nutrition (EON).