title: Early oral re-feeding on oncology patients submitted to gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no advantage in maintaining patients on oral fasting after gastrointestinal elective resection. The early feeding up to 48 h can be beneficial, because it reduces infectious complications and hospital stay.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the evolution and tolerance of early oral diet in postoperative period after gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric assessment was performed on the day of surgery, weight, height, body mass index and weight loss were measured. Acceptance of diet was evaluated as food intake (amount accepted) and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal distension, postoperative complications and hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample consisted of 23 patients, 17 with partial gastrectomy and six with total gastrectomy. In the assessment of nutritional status 9% were malnourished, 54.5% normal weight, 9% overweight and 27.2% obese, but 54% had weight loss. There was good acceptance of the diet in 96,9% of the sample. Nausea and abdominal distension were present in 4,3% and 65.2% constipation. Surgical complications according to the Clavien scalle, 13% had grade V, 4.3% grade IIIA, 8.7% grade I and 73% did not have complications. The length of hospital stay was 5±2.2 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early postoperative re-feeding in total and partial gastrectomy was well tolerated by patients.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Erasto Gaertner, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andressa Madalozo
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Laffitte
authors.affiliation: Hospital Erasto Gaertner, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Brandão
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Polakowski
authors.affiliation: Hospital Erasto Gaertner, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Massakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors