Early enteral nutrition versus parenteral nutrition after resection of esophageal cancer

Background: Esophagectomy for esophageal cancer is one of the most invasive procedures among gastrointestinal surgeries, and patients undergoing esophagectomy are unable to gain nutrition by mouth within the first few days after surgery. The present study compared early enteral nutrition versus parenteral nutrition after resection of esophageal cancer. Materials & Methods: 52 cases of esophageal cancer of both genders were divided into EEN group and PNgroup. Each group Comprised of 26 each. Factors such as site of lesion, pathologic stage, time to first fecal passage, post-operative albumin infusion, differences of serum albumin value, hospital stay, systematic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) duration and mortality was recorded. Results: Group I comprised of 18 males and 8 females and group II 14 males and 12 females. Site of lesions was upper thoracic in 12and 11, middle thoracic in 9 and 10 and lower thoracic in 5 and 5 in group I and group II respectively. Pathologic stage was 0 seen in 1 and 2, I in 4 and 6, II in 12 and 10, III in 6 and 6 and IV in 3 and 2 in group I and group II respectively. Preoperative adjuvant therapy was neoadjuvant in 15 and 16 and chemoradiotherapy in 11 and 10 in group I and group II respectively. The mean preoperative serum albumin (g/L) was 33.5 and 34.2, first fecal passage (day) was 2.7 and 3.8, hospital stay (day) was 16.2 and 18.7, albumin infusion (g) was 30.5 and 40.3, SIRS duration (day) was 3.4 and 4.7 and in-hospital mortality was seen in 1 and 2 in group I and group II respectively. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Conclusion: Early EN is safe, economic, and superior for promoting early recovery of intestinal movement