“To help mitigate the perioperative risks of poor nutrition status, nutritional interventions via either parenteral or enteral techniques are available. For these reasons, especially in the
setting of foregut reconstruction and planned return to oncology therapy, our bias has been the use of postoperative jejunal feeding tube access in our surgical oncology population in
high-risk and nutritionally depleted patients. Jejunostomy feeding tubes are not without complication, however, with high reported rates of tube dysfunction. Jejunostomy tubes
can be easily dislodged, have imperfect seals at wound exit sites leading to leakage, and can be somewhat cumbersome for patients and caregivers to maintain. Some authors have
begun to advocate for the selective placement of jejunostomy tubes following gastric and esophageal resections.”

“The social hassle with surgical enteral access should not be underestimated. However, in our experience with 542 placements, there were only 78 phone calls for the entire life of the
tube across all placements. Complications did arise, and tube studies were required a startling 244 times. Jejunostomy duration was also required for longer periods following foregut reconstruction with esophagogastric or pancreatic resection. This is critical; malnutrition is underestimated; and up to 20% of patients with cancer die specifically from
malnutrition.”

O’Neill, Conor H et al. “Complications of Jejunostomy Feeding Tubes: A Single Center Experience of 546 Cases.” Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract vol. 24,4 (2020): 959-963. Full Text for Emory Users