Background: Little data are available supporting the feasibility and safety of early oral feeding in patients after total gastrectomy. The aim of this study was to analyze the potential applicability of early provision of oral diet in these settings.
Methods: Medical records of 353 patients who underwent total gastrectomy for gastric cancer between 2006 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Early oral feeding was defined as clear liquid diet on postoperative day (POD) 1 followed by gradual introduction of solid diet on POD 2 to 3. Late oral feeding was defined as initiation of liquid diet from POD 4 to 6 and gradually advancing to solid diets.
Results: Early oral feeding was implemented in 185 of 353 (52 %) patients. Prompt provision of food did not increase the risk of anastomotic failure (odds ratio 0.924, 95 % confidence interval 0.609-1.402, P = 0.709). The number of reoperations and in-hospital mortality rates was unaffected by the timing of nutritional intervention. Early feeding tended to be associated with fewer surgical (15 vs 24 %, P = 0.027) and general (8 vs 23 %, P < 0.001) complications. However, subsequent multivariate regression models failed to confirm significant correlations between timing of oral meals and postoperative morbidity.
Conclusion: Our findings suggested that early oral feeding is feasible and safe after total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. However, benefits of such early nutritional interventions require further studies.