title: Tablet PC-enabled application intervention for patients with gastric cancer undergoing gastrectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastric cancer is among the most common gastrointestinal cancers worldwide. Patients who have undergone surgery for gastric cancer may suffer from malnutrition and potential consequences such as gastrointestinal complications, surgical stress, and cancer cachexia. A tablet PC-based intervention via a mobile application might enhance the early recovery of postgastrectomy patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to develop and test a tablet personal computer (PC)-assisted intervention to hasten the recovery of postgastrectomy cancer patients with respect to nutritional status.
  
  
  METHODS
  This single-arm pilot study investigated a tablet PC application developed to serve the functions of nutritional monitoring, medical information management, drainage follow-up, and wound care. All services were delivered by medical professionals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty consecutive gastrectomy patients at the National Taiwan University Hospital received perioperative care via this application (App group). During the study period, we retrospectively collected an additional 20 demographically matched gastrectomy cases as a control group. The App group had a lower body weight loss percentage relative to the control group during a 6-month follow-up period (4.8±1.2% vs. 8.7±2.4%; p<0.01). However, the patients in the App group had more outpatient clinic (OPC) visits than did those in the control group (9.8±0.9 vs. 5.6±0.8; p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supported the feasibility of a tablet PC-based application for the perioperative care of gastric cancer subjects to promote a lower body weight loss and the collection of comprehensive surgical records.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jin-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hwan-Jeu
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Te-Wei
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Xing-Yu
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taiwan; Department of Medical Education & Bioethics, Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Bioethics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan. Electronic address: wujm0531@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ming-Tsan
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan; Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan. Electronic address: kptkptkpt@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Feipei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008838:Microcomputers; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012984:Software; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Application; Gastric cancer; Smartphone; Surgery