Enteral Nutrition After Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is the treatment of choice for resectable periampullary cancer. PD is still associated with a relatively a high incidence of delayed gastric emptying. And, there are no acknowledged strategies to avoid DGE. Several feeding strategies have been investigated to cope with this problem. However, there is still no consensus concerning the best nutrition support method after pancreaticoduodenectomy. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of nutrition support methods on DGE after pancreaticoduodenectomy: early enteral nutrition or total parenteral nutrition. Patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy will be randomized to receive early enteral nutrition (EN group), or Saline administration (Saline group), or oral intake only (Natural control). The EN group will receive standard enteral diet administered through a nasojejunal tube. Enteral nutrition will be started on the 1st postoperative day and increased daily by 20-40 ml up to the estimated level. The Saline group will receive saline administered through a nasojejunal tube beginning from the 1st postoperative day. Oral intake will not be restricted in all three group.