title: The effect of enteral immunonutrition in upper gastrointestinalsurgery for cancer: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Enteral feeding and immunonutrition (ImN) have been shown to be associated with a number of favorable effects in patients undergoing cancer surgery. In this prospective study, we aimed to assess the perioperative use of enteral immunonutrition in patients undergoing radical gastrointestinal surgery for malignancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one patients with malignancy were included in this study and were randomized into one of the two following nutritional strategies: enteral only (EN) or enteral with enteral immunonutrition (ENIN). These regimens were followed for 7 days perioperatively by all patients. Nutritional parameters and postoperative morbidity, mortality, and length of hospital stay (LHS) were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum prealbumin levels increased significantly in the ENIN group (P = 0.033). Moreover, patients in the ENIN group showed a more marked decrease in the rate of postoperative infections (P = 0.021) and anastomotic leakage (P = 0.018) than patients fed with EN. In the EN group, LHS was significantly longer than that in the ENIN group (18 vs. 12 days) (P = 0.032). Rates of overall morbidity and mortality were similar in the two groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ENIN was found to have a favorable effect on the outcome of radical gastrointestinal surgery for malignancy. Meticulous preoperative assessment of malnutrition and at least a 7-day perioperative enteral use can increase the effectiveness of immunonutrition.
authors: Mehmet ÖZYILDIZ, Murat COŞKUN, Özkan SUBAŞIDepartment of General Surgery, Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital, Derince, Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors: Selim Yiğit
authors: SY
authors: Yildiz
authors: Mehmet ÖZYILDIZ, Murat COŞKUN, Özkan SUBAŞIDepartment of General Surgery, Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital, Derince, Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors: Murat Burç
authors: MB
authors: Yazicioğlu
authors: Mehmet ÖZYILDIZ, Murat COŞKUN, Özkan SUBAŞIDepartment of General Surgery, Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital, Derince, Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors: Çağrı
authors: Ç
authors: Tiryaki
authors: Mehmet ÖZYILDIZ, Murat COŞKUN, Özkan SUBAŞIDepartment of General Surgery, Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital, Derince, Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Çiftçi
authors: Mehmet ÖZYILDIZ, Murat COŞKUN, Özkan SUBAŞIDepartment of General Surgery, Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital, Derince, Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors: Zehra
authors: Z
authors: Boyacioğlu
mesh_terms: D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: Immunonutrition; cancer; enteral; gastrointestinal surgery