title: [Safety and feasibility of early oral feeding after gastrectomy: a meta-analysis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To systematically evaluate the safety and feasibility of early oral feeding after gastric cancer surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Available literatures of Embase, PubMed, Journals@Ovid, Web of Science, Springerlink, Google Scholar, Wanfang, and CNKI published before October 2012 were searched. Inclusion criteria and quality assessment were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine studies including 778 patients undergoing gastrectomy were enrolled. Among them, 381 started oral intake before the recovery of bowel function(early oral feeding group), and 397 received traditional feeding. Differences in overall complication(RR=0.88, 95%CI:0.68-1.16) and tolerance (RR=1.01, 95%CI:0.96-1.06) between the two groups were not statistically significant. Patients the in early oral feeding group had faster bowel function recovery (MD=-0.86, 95%CI:-1.20--0.51) and shorter hospital stay(MD=-2.40, 95%CI:-3.33--1.47).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early oral feeding after gastrectomy is safe and feasible, and associated with faster recovery of bowel function and earlier discharge from hospital.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 333006, China. huangjun1995@163.com.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Jia-qing
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D004435:Eating; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D012449:Safety; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery