Effect of early oral enteral nutrition on clinical outcomes after colorectal cancer surgery

Objective: To investigate the effect of early oral feeding with enteral nutrition after surgery on clinical outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer.

Methods: Forty-eight patients with colorectal cancer undergoing elective operation between January 2012 and May 2012 were randomly divided into study group (n=24) and control group (n=24). Patients in the group were given small amount of water several times and enteral nutrition early after surgery. Patients in the control group received conventional postoperative care protocol. Nutritional status, immune function, time of flatus, postoperative hospital stay, medical cost and incidence of complications between the two groups were compared.

Results: As compared to the control group, nutritional status and immune function in the study group were significantly better (P<0.05). In the study group, time to flatus [(54.3±11.9) h vs. (65.7±10.0) h, P<0.05] and postoperative hospital stay [(5.4±1.1) d vs. (7.1±1.4) d, P<0.05] were significantly shorter, and medical cost [(36.3±6.4) thousand RMB vs. (42.8±4.3) thousand RMB, P<0.05] was significantly less as compared with the control group. No difference of the complication incidence was found [12.5% (3/24) vs. 16.7% (4/24), P>0.05].

Conclusions: Early oral feeding with enteral nutrition after surgery can improve the nutritional status and immune function, and accelerate the recovery of patients with colorectal cancer.