title: Early oral feeding following thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nil-by-mouth with enteral tube feeding is widely practised for several days after resection and reconstruction of oesophageal cancer. This study investigates early changes in postoperative gastric emptying and the feasibility of early oral feeding after thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy for patients with oesophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2013 and August 2013, gastric emptying of liquid food and the feasibility of early oral feeding after thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy was investigated in 68 patients. Sixty-five patients previously managed in the same unit who routinely took liquid food 7 days after thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean preoperative half gastric emptying time (GET1/2) was 66.4 ± 38.4 min for all 68 patients, and the mean GET1/2 at postoperative day (POD) 1 and POD 7 was statistically significantly shorter than preoperative GET1/2 (23.9 ± 15.7 min and 24.1 ± 7.9 min, respectively, both P-values <0.001). Of the 68 patients who were enrolled to analyse the feasibility of early oral feeding, 2 (3.0%) patients could not take food as early as planned. The rate of total complication was 20.6% (14/68) and 29.2% (19/65) in the early oral feeding group and the late oral feeding group, respectively (P = 0.249). Compared with the late oral feeding group, time to first flatus and bowel movement was significantly shorter in the early oral feeding group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with preoperative gastric emptying, early postoperative gastric emptying for liquid food after oesophagectomy is significantly faster. Postoperative early oral feeding in patients with thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy is feasible and safe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Hai-bo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Xian-ben
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Rui-xiang
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Zong-fei
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian-jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Bao-xing
authors.initials: BX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiu-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Chang-sen
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Leng
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Jun-wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Yong-kui
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Hao-miao
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Henan Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China liyin825@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Yin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Early oral feeding; Gastric emptying; Oesophageal cancer; Thoracolaparoscopic oesophagectomy