Pre-therapy laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy is safe and effective in patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy for cancer.

Objective: Laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy is a safe and effective means of providing enteral nutrition in the preoperative phase to esophageal cancer patients.

Design: This research is a retrospective case series.

Setting: This study was conducted in a university tertiary care center.

Patients: Between August 2007 and April 2012, 153 laparoscopic feeding jejunostomies were performed in patients 10 weeks prior to their definitive minimally invasive esophagectomy.

Main Outcome Measures: The outcome is measured based on the technique, safety, and feasibility of a laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy in the preoperative phase of esophageal cancer patients.

Results: One hundred fifty-three patients underwent a laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy approximately 1 and 10 week(s) prior to the start of their neoadjuvant therapy and definitive minimally invasive esophagectomy, respectively. Median age was 63 years. Of the patients, 75 % were males and 25 % were females. One hundred twenty-seven patients had gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma and 26 had squamous cell carcinoma. All patients completed their neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. The median operative time was 65 min. We had no intraoperative complications, perforation, postoperative bowel necrosis, bowel torsion, herniation, intraperitoneal leak, or mortality as a result of the laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy. Four patients were noted to have superficial skin infection around the tube, and 11 patients required a tube exchange for dislodgment, clogging, and leaking around the tube. All patients progressed to their definitive surgical esophageal resection.

Conclusion: A laparoscopic feeding jejunostomy is technically feasible, safe, and can provide appropriate enteral nutrition in the preoperative phase of esophageal cancer patients.