title: [Use of a nasojejunal tube after total gastrectomy: a multicentre prospective randomised trial].
abstract: Dehiscence of the Roux-en-Y oesophagojejunostomy after total gastrectomy is an infrequent complication that may lead to severe morbidity and even death when it occurs. A prospective multicentre randomised trial was designed to assess the need for routine nasojejunal decompression after total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y oesophagojejunostomy in patients with gastric cancer. Two hundred and thirty-seven patients undergoing total gastrectomy for gastric cancer were randomly assigned to placement of a nasojejunal tube (NJT group) or not (no-NJT group). The patients were monitored for postoperative complications, mortality and postoperative course. The rates of anastomotic leaks were similar in both groups (NJT group, 6.9%; no-NJT group 5.8%) as were the rates of major postoperative complications (25.9% and 21.5%, respectively) and the overall postoperative mortality rates (0.9% and 0.8%, respectively). There were no differences between the two groups in mean time +/- SD to passage of flatus (4.6 +/- 1.3 and 4.5 +/- 1.7 days, respectively) and to starting a liquid diet (7.8 +/- 2.6 and 7.7 +/- 1.6 days, respectively), or in mean +/- SD postoperative hospital stay (13.5 +/- 7.3 and 13.9 +/- 10.9 days, respectively), mean postoperative pain and postoperative abdominal distension. The results of this study suggest that routine placement of an NJT after Roux-en-Y oesophagojejunostomy is unnecessary in elective total gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche, Divisione di Chirurgia Digestiva, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma.
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Doglietto
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pacelli
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: Antonio Pio
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Tortorelli
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bossola
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Covino
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000713:Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D007582:Jejunostomy; D007583:Jejunum / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors