An assessment of feeding jejunostomy tube placement at the time of resection for gastric adenocarcinoma: A seven-institution analysis of 837 patients from the U.S. Gastric Cancer Collaborative.

Abstract

120 Background: A recent single institutional study demonstrated that jejunostomy feeding tubes (J-tubes) placed during resection of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) are associated with increased complications and no change in receipt of adjuvant therapy. Our aim was to validate these findings in a large multi-institutional cohort. Methods: All patients who underwent resection for GAC at 7 institutions participating in the U.S. Gastric Cancer Collaborative from 2000-2012 were identified. Patients with metastatic disease were excluded. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to assess the association of J-tubes with postoperative complications and receipt of adjuvant therapy. Subset analysis of patients who underwent total vs subtotal gastrectomy was also performed. Results: Of 965 patients, 837 were included for analysis, of whom 265 (32%) received a J-tube. Patients receiving J-tubes demonstrated greater incidence of preoperative weight loss, lower BMI, greater extent of resection, and more advanced TNM stage. J-tube placement was associated with increased infectious complications (36% vs 19%;p<0.001), including surgical site infections (14% vs 6%;p<0.001) and deep intra-abdominal infections (11% vs 4%;p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, J-tubes remained independently associated with increased risk of infectious complications (HR=1.93;p=0.001), surgical site infections (HR=2.85;p=0.001), and deep intra-abdominal infections (HR=2.13;p=0.04). J-tubes were not associated with increased receipt of adjuvant therapy (HR=0.82;p=0.34). Subset analysis of patients undergoing total and subtotal gastrectomy similarly demonstrated an association of J-tubes with increased risk of infectious outcomes andno association with increased receipt of adjuvant therapy. Conclusions: J-tubes placed during resection of gastric adenocarcinoma are independently associated with increased postoperative infections and are not associated with increased receipt of adjuvant therapy, despite being placed in patients with advanced TNM stage tumors. Selective use of J-tubes is recommended.