[Postoperative nutrition in patients with head and neck cancer].
Patients who underwent surgery for head and neck malignant neoplasms are problematic because dysphagia, pain and postoperative secuelaes. Nutritional support is necessary in more than 90% of all patients with head and neck cancer. The purpose of this study is to determine nutritional support in these patients and problems related to nutrition.


METHODS
Fifty-four patients with oral and pharyngolaryngeal carcinomas underwent surgery were studied prospectively. We studied nutritional support (oral nutrition, enteral nutrition or parenteral nutrition) and problems related to nutrition: aspiration neumoniae and pharyngostoma.


RESULTS
The 7% of the patients underwent oral feeding after surgery, 87% enteral nutrition with nasogastric tube and 6% parenteral nutrition. We identified neumoniae in 6% of patients and faringocutaneous fistula in 19%. When patients leaved the hospital, 98% of the patients underwent oral feeding and one patient had nasopharyngeal tube for enteral nutrition.


CONCLUSIONS
1. Artificial nutrition was necessary in 93% patients with oropharyngolaryngealcancer; 2. Enteral nutrition was the most useful modality of alimentation (87%); 3.25% of patients had postoperative complications: (18% pharyngostoma, 6% neumoniae); 4. Oral feeding was possible in 98% of patients out of hospital.
Martín Villares
C
C
Servicio de ORL, Hospital del Bierzo, La Dehesa, s/n. 24400 Ponferrada, León. cmvillares@hotmail.com
Fernández Pello
M E
ME
San Román Carbajo
J
J
Tapia Risueño
M
M
Domínguez Calvo
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies