Usefulness of reconstruction with jejunal pouch in total gastrectomy for gastric cancer in early improvement of nutritional condition.

BACKGROUND

Roux-en-Y reconstruction with a jejunal pouch is a modified standard procedure in total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the usefulness of the reconstruction using a jejunal pouch in subsequent improvement of the nutritional condition of patients with gastric cancer after total gastrectomy.

METHODS

Sixteen patients with gastric cancer treated by total gastrectomy and reconstruction with simple Roux-en-Y from January 1993 to December 1996 and 14 patients treated by total gastrectomy and reconstruction with Roux-en-Y and jejunal pouch from January 1997 to December 1998 were investigated in regard to postoperative heartburn, changes in the body weight, and prognostic nutritional index.

RESULTS

Postoperative heartburn occurred in 1 patient (7.1%) among patients treated with Roux-en-Y and jejunal pouch and 3 (18.8%) among patients treated with simple Roux-en-Y. The body weight ratio at 1 year after operation in patients treated with Roux-en-Y and jejunal pouch (88.2% +/- 4.2%) was significantly higher than that in patients treated with simple Roux-en-Y (80.0% +/- 4.6%; P <0.01). The prognostic nutritional index ratios for patients treated with Roux-en-Y and jejunal pouch at 1 and 3 months after operation were 93.9% +/- 9.1% and 101.7% +/- 11.0%, respectively, and were significantly higher than that in patients treated with simple Roux-en-Y (86.2% +/- 8.8% and 88.1% +/- 8.2%, P <0.05 and P <0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Reconstruction using a jejunal pouch in total gastrectomy is useful for an early improvement of the nutritional condition of patients with gastric cancer.