Clinically significant pneumatosis intestinalis with postoperative enteral feedings by needle catheter jejunostomy: an unusual complication

We evaluated the incidence of clinically significant pneumatosis intestinalis and intestinal necrosis with the use of needle catheter jejunostomy in 217 consecutive patients who had undergone complicated abdominal operations or selected bariatric procedures. The needle catheter jejunostomy was used to deliver immediate postoperative nutrition, maintenance, and replacement fluids, and selected medications. In this group, no serious complications requiring surgical intervention were related to the use of needle catheter jejunostomies. Clinically significant pneumatosis intestinalis was encountered in two of 217 patients (1%). With the needle catheter jejunostomy in place, both patients improved rapidly when enteral feedings were discontinued and parenteral antibiotics were administered. None of the 217 patients developed ischemic intestinal necrosis. We conclude that 1) clinically significant pneumatosis is a rare complication of enteric feeding via needle catheter jejunostomy when the intrajejunal feeding is begun with a diluted, hypoosmolar solution with stepwise increases in osmolality, and 2) patients who do develop clinically significant pneumatosis (n = 2) seem to respond rapidly to a temporary stoppage of enteral feedings and administration of parenteral antibiotics.     

Gastrointestinal disorders caused by medication and electrolyte solution osmolality during enteral nutrition

Enteral feeding tubes represent convenient avenues for medication administration and electrolyte replacement. The frequent association of medication therapy with gastrointestinal disorders during enteral nutrition prompted this evaluation of medication and electrolyte solution osmolality. It is concluded that the hypertonicity of electrolyte replacement solutions and various medications may cause gastrointestinal intolerance in patients. Electrolyte supplementation by parenteral means or by appropriate dilution and mixture with an enteral formula is preferable to bolus administration of undiluted solutions via the feeding tube. Routine admixture of medications such as antibiotic suspensions to enteral formulas cannot be recommended at this time pending specific study of drug compatibility and availability from enteral tube feeding systems.     

Current options for percutaneous endoscopic access to the digestive tract

Four patients, aged 67, 52, 56 and 64 years, respectively, undergoing percutaneous colostomy or jejunostomy are presented to illustrate current options for percutaneous endoscopic access to the digestive tract. The first patient had Parkinson's disease and required percutaneous jejunostomy for continuous post-pyloric administration of medication. The second patient had impaired gastric emptying due to gastric graft-versus-host disease following bone marrow transplantation. He was successfully treated with percutaneous jejunostomy, which was removed 2 years later after full recovery. The third patient had severe constipation due to the use ofmorphinomimetic analgesics. She received percutaneous caecostomy for colonic lavage and desufflation. The fourth patient had combined constipation and sphincteric insufficiency. Although the percutaneous endoscopic colostomy was clinically successful, the catheter had to be removed due to local pain and abscess formation.     

Inadvertent intravenous administration of enteral diet

Needle catheter jejunostomy feedings were instituted in a 64-yr-old man on postoperative day 1 following subtotal gastrectomy for carcinoma of the antrum. Several days later, the enteral tube catheter was inadvertently connected to the patient's peripheral intravenous cannula which resulted in the intravenous administration of the enteral formula solution. The administration was stopped immediately when recognized, but 4 hr later the patient became febrile, hypotensive, and tachycardic. Cultures from the enteral solution demonstrated Streptococcal viridans and yeast; the patient's blood cultures similarly demonstrated S. viridans. Broad spectrum antibiotics, hemodynamic monitoring, and intravascular support with crystalloid solutions resulted in a favorable outcome. Prevention of the complication could be assured by adopting luer connectors for enteral feeding sets which cannot be connected to intravenous cannulas. Until these are available, the addition of methylene blue to the tube feeding formula or utilization of color coded distal connecting tubing may prevent accidental intravenous administration of tube feeding formulas. The potential for this complication must be recognized by those dealing with enteral feeding.     

Subjective distress during continuous enteral alimentation: superiority of silicone rubber to polyurethane

A small-bore feeding tube of silicone rubber was developed in order to improve the acceptance of enteral feeding. The insertion procedure was facilitated by providing a double guidewire which allows continuous adjustment of tip rigidity. The usefulness of this tube was tested in a short-term and a long-term volunteer study as well as in a prospective follow-up of patients receiving enteral nutrition. The volunteer study showed that the newly developed tube significantly reduced subjective distress (rank value 14) when compared to a conventional tube made of polyurethane (rank value 20). In the patient study, 131 silicone rubber tubes were used in 85 patients who received enteral nutrition for a total period of 2080 days and complained about foreign-body feeling and rhinorrhea in only 3.7% and 0.5% of the days, respectively. The rate of inadvertent removals was relatively low (32%), mainly due to restricted mental status of the patients.     

Comparative Analysis of the Efficacy and Complications of Nasojejunal and Jejunostomy on Patients Undergoing Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Background: The efficacy and feeding‐related complications of a nasojejunal feeding tube and jejunostomy after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) was investigated with a randomized, controlled clinical trial at the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital. Methods: Sixty‐eight patients who underwent PD in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups: 34 patients received enteral feeding via a nasojejunal tube (NJT group) and 34 patients received enteral feeding via a jejunostomy tube (JT group). The assessment of clinical outcome was based on postoperative investigation of complications. The second part of the assessment included tube related complications and an index on catheter efficiency. Results: There were 15 cases with infectious complications in the JT group and 13 cases in the NJT group, and there was no significant difference in the rate of infectious complications between the 2 groups. The rate of intestinal obstruction and delayed gastric emptying was significantly decreased in the NJT group (P < .05). Catheter‐related complications were more common in the JT group as compared with the NJT group (35.3% vs 20.6%, P < .05). The time for removal of the feeding tube and nasogastric tube was significantly decreased in the NJT group. The postoperative hospital stay in the NJT group was significantly decreased (P < .05), and there was no hospital mortality in this study. Conclusion: Nasojejunal feeding is safer than jejunostomy, and it is associated with only minor complications. Nasojejunal feeding can significantly decrease the incidence of delayed gastric emptying and shorten the postoperative hospital stay.     

Enteral tube feeding in a cohort of chronic hemodialysis patients.

Malnutrition affects up to half of all chronic dialysis patients and is an important predictor of mortality, but the efficacy of interventions designed to improve the nutritional status of dialysis patients has been poorly studied. Specifically, although enteral tube feeding is often cited as an important option in the treatment of malnourished dialysis patients, there are few studies examining the effectiveness and complications of enteral tube feedings in adults on dialysis. We performed a retrospective analysis of a small cohort (n = 10) of chronic hemodialysis patients who received enteral tube feeding as all or part of their nutrition between January 1 and May 1, 1999, with follow-up through May 1, 2000, to assess the efficacy and complications of enteral tube feeding. Six patients received feeding via a peritoneoscopically placed (PEG) tube, 3 via nasogastric (NG) tube, and 1 patient was switched from PEG to NG feeding after an exit site infection developed at her PEG site. Seven patients received enteral feeding because of swallowing difficulties occurring after a cerebrovascular accident. Four patients were fed via enteral tube temporarily (相似文献   

Tolerance and efficacy of enteral nutrition in traumatic brain-injured patients induced into barbiturate coma

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of data evaluating the efficacy of nutrition support in traumatic brain-injured patients induced into barbiturate coma for refractory intracranial hypertension. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of enteral nutrition in a select group of trauma patients. METHODS: Prospective data were collected on severe traumatic brain-injured patients over a 4-year period. Patients were stratified by whether or not they were induced into a barbiturate coma. Barbiturate coma was defined as per American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) guidelines. All patients were initially fed via the enteral route via a nasogastric feeding tube. Patients who did not tolerate feedings within 48 hours started receiving prokinetic agents. Feeding tolerance was defined as ability to tolerate enteral feedings with <150 mL of gastric residuals every 6 hours for >72 hours. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients were induced into a barbiturate coma. All were victims of blunt-force trauma. Forty-two of 57 (74%) patients were men, with a mean age of 37+/-12 years and a mean injury severity score of 24+/-10. Thirty-eight of the 57 (67%) patients had an isolated traumatic brain injury. All 57 patients failed enteral nutrition via the nasogastric route after the first 48 hours of nutrition initiation after barbiturate coma was fully achieved by protocol criteria. Prokinetic agents demonstrated no improvement in feeding tolerance after the subsequent 48-72 hours. Of the 12 patients who had a postpyloric feeding tube placed, only 25% tolerated enteral nutrition for >48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with traumatic brain injury induced into barbiturate coma develop a significant ileus that is refractory to prokinetic agents. Only a marginal improvement is seen when the postpyloric route is obtained. Early parenteral nutrition should be considered in this patient population.     

Considerations regarding oral medications delivery to patients on nasoenteral tubes

Patients with healthy gastrointestinal tract but not capable to be fed orally may receive their nutrition and medications via enteral feeding tubes, patients who receive nutrition via feeding tubes are often receive medications through the same route. Not all medications are appropriate to be administrated enterally, improper dosage form selection, drug-nutrition interactions and incompatibilities, inadequate dilution, and other types of preparation and administration errors might lead to an unpleasant outcome. Appreciating the complexity of the administration of medications via feeding tube, following proper techniques could help in reducing incidents and improve patient outcomes. The present review covers the most considerations regarding the preparation and administration of oral medications to patients on nasoenteral feeding tubes.     

Emergency high-loop jejunostomy as enteral nutrition access: a simple and safe method

BACKGROUND: Emergency high-loop jejunostomies are seldom used for nutrition access in the clinical practice. METHODS: This paper describes the results of a simple and safe technique that uses emergency high-loop jejunostomy as an enteral feeding access. A feeding tube is inserted into the efferent loop of the jejunostomy and then subcutaneously tunneled. In this way, whenever it becomes necessary, the bag collecting fluids from the afferent loop can be changed without removing the tube, which remains permanently inserted into the efferent loop and secured to the skin in order to avoid displacements. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients with high-loop jejunostomy were consecutively treated with the described technique during the period 2000-2006. The mean distance between the ligament of Treitz and tube was 38.3 +/- 16.2 cm. After an induction period, all patients received full-strength enteral nutrition and were discharged after a mean of 25.1 +/- 19.5 days of treatment. All patients were subsequently readmitted to our unit, and their ostomies were successfully closed. No major early and late complications were observed; particularly, no patient experienced local or systemic septic complications. Conclusion: From the analysis of our results, the described method for delivering enteral nutrition through an emergency high-loop ostomy proves easy to apply and clinically effective. Enteral nutrition can be started as soon as possible after operation through the efferent loop of the ostomy; the management of the jejunostomy is simple and safe, with no additional discomfort for the patients.     

A comparison of the effects of intermittent and continuous nasogastric feeding on the oxygen consumption and nitrogen balance of patients after major head and neck surgery

Ten patients were fed by nasogastric tube for 5 days after major surgery of the head and neck. Five were fed by continuous infusion 24 h/day using an enteral nutrition pump and five were fed comparable quantities by 2-h bolus administration between 0600 and 2200 h. Those fed by bolus had lower resting oxygen consumption on the 4th and 5th postoperative days and better cumulative nitrogen balance over the 5 days than the continuously fed group. It appears that metabolically it may be better to use an intermittent feeding regimen than a continuous one when feeding patients postoperatively via a nasogastric tube.     

Considerations of drug therapy in patients receiving enteral nutrition

Some basic principles to consider in giving medications to patients receiving enteral nutrition include: 1. If the patient is able to take medication by mouth, this is the preferred route. 2. Liquid medications are the preferred dosage form. 3. The use of oral medications that are not meant to be crushed for enteral tube administration should be avoided. 4. For individual doses of most medications, the tube should be flushed with at least 30 ml of water before and after administration of medications. 5. Highly concentrated solutions should be diluted with 60 ml of water. 6. When several medications are to be administered to the same patient, all medications should be delivered separately and the tube flushed with at least 5 ml of water after each dose. 7. Medications should not be added directly to the feeding formulation. 8. Drug-nutrient interactions should be considered. 9. GI side effects are the most common adverse effects that occur with enteral feedings, and treatment depends on the cause.     

Predominant copper deficiency during prolonged enteral nutrition through a jejunostomy tube compared to that through a gastrostomy tube

Background & aims

Trace element deficiencies are known to occur during long-term enteral nutrition feeding. We compared the serum concentrations of trace elements between patients treated with gastrostomy and those treated with jejunostomy.

Methods

Our subjects were 36 patients who underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG group) and 23 patients who underwent percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (PEJ group) and were maintained with enteral tube feeding for more than one year. The serum concentrations of copper, zinc, selenium, and iron were measured in the two groups. Clinical manifestations and the effectiveness of supplementation therapy against copper deficiency were also investigated.

Results

From 6 months after the onset of enteral feeding, the copper concentration of the PEJ group was significantly decreased compared with that of the PEG group (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the concentrations of zinc, selenium, or iron between the two groups. Severe copper deficiency was observed in 6 patients of the PEJ group and was accompanied with neutropenia and anemia. The copper deficiency was successfully treated in all of these patients by supplementation with 10–40 g of cocoa powder a day which was equivalent to a total daily dose of 1.36–2.56 mg of copper.

Conclusions

Prolonged PEJ tube nutrition tends to result in copper deficiency, and cocoa supplementation is effective for treating such copper deficiency.     

Procedures for home enteral nutrition.

As emphasis on early hospital discharge increases, home tube feeding is becoming a popular method of efficiently delivering nutritional support. This paper describes the team approach to home enteral feeding practices at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary, Alberta. Three groups of patients are referred to the program: those who require tube feedings permanently as the sole means of nutrition; those who require supplementation from tube feedings; and those who temporarily require tube feeding. The dietitian selects an enteral formula suitble for the patient. Although continuous enteral feedings are generally better tolerated by patients, intermittent feedings may be more psychologically acceptable. Continuous feedings are initiated at 50 ml per hour and increased to approximately 150 ml per hour, depending upon patient tolerance and nutritional goals. Complications can result from mechanical problems (e.g. equipment failure) and metabolic/physiologic problems (e.g. constipation). A total of 35 patients have been taught the technique of home tube feeding. The program has been well accepted by patients and physicians.     

胃肠内营养的感染并发症

胃肠内营养支持是营养治疗的主要手段，但其感染性并发症，特别是吸入性肺炎，严重威胁病人生命。本文介绍３例老年男性胃肠内营养支持病例Ｌ（１）例１，食管修补术后多脏器衰竭伴肺部感染，试用胃造瘘管滴入营养液维持未成功，控制感染后改由空肠造瘘滴入营养液成功，病人康复；（２例２，胆囊切除术后多脏器功能衰竭伴重度肺部感染，鼻饲胃管维持营养后出现吸入性肺炎，行胃造兼输注营养液出现腹泻、全复水肿后死亡；（３）例３，     

Factors leading to discrepancies between prescription and intake of enteral nutrition therapy in hospitalized patients

ObjectiveWe investigated factors leading to a reduction in enteral nutrition (EN) prescribed by a nutritional support team (NST) at a general hospital in Brazil.MethodsIn this prospective, observational study, hospitalized adults receiving only EN therapy via tube feeding were followed for up to 21 d from July to October 2008.ResultsThe 152 subjects analyzed included 38 (23.5%) ward patients and 124 (76.5%) intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Eighty percent of the targeted feeding volume was achieved on day 4 by 80% of the patients. Reasons for not receiving the total amount of EN prescribed included delay in EN administration (3.1%), abdominal distention (5.6%), patient refusal of treatment (6.8%), feeding tube obstruction (8.6%), vomiting (10.5%), diarrhea (17.9%), unknown causes (17.9%), interference by a non-NST physician (25.9%), accidental feeding tube loss (34%), presence of high gastric residual (34%), and operational logistics at the hospital's Nutrition and Dietetics Service (99.4%). There was a significant association between patients who received <60% of the prescribed EN and external physician interference (P < 0.016). ICU patients also received inadequate EN (P < 0.025). Neurologic patients had a greater chance of receiving >81% of the prescribed EN amount than cardiac patients (odds ratio 3.75, P < 0.01).ConclusionMajor reasons for inadequate EN intake are (in decreasing order) operational logistical problems, gastric stasis, accidental loss of enteral feeding tube, and interference by an external physician (not an NST member). Cardiologic patients and ICU patients are at a higher risk for inadequacy than neurologic patients.     

Obstructed feeding jejunostomy tube: a new method of salvage

The jejunostomy tube is an important means of access for enteral feeding in the surgical and medical patient. A common complication of this technique is tube occlusion. Once a mature tract has formed the tube can be removed and replaced, following by contrast radiologic documentation of its intraluminal position. With an immature tract, this option is not available. We report a safe, simple, and cost-effective method of unblocking a clogged jejunostomy using an arterial embolectomy catheter.     

Effect of jejunal long-term feeding in chronic pancreatitis

BACKGROUND: In the late course of chronic pancreatitis (CP), weight loss is often seen because of reduced caloric intake and a reduction of pancreatic enzyme secretion, resulting in maldigestion. Most of these patients can be managed by dietary recommendations and pancreatic enzyme supplementation. However, approximately 5% of these patients are reported to be candidates for enteral nutrition support during their course of CP. Although small bowel access for enteral feeding can be easily obtained by percutaneous endoscopic gastrojejunostomy (PEG/J) or direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy (DPEJ), to date there are no data regarding clinical outcome and safety of long-term jejunal feeding in CP. METHODS: From January 1999 to October 2002, 57 patients receiving enteral nutrition by PEG/J or DPEJ were retrospectively analyzed during a follow-up period of 6 months. There were 38 females and 19 males, with an average age of 46.6 years. RESULTS: Small-bowel access was obtained by PEG/J in 53 patients and by DPEJ in 4. Duration of enteral feeding was 113 days. Average body weight significantly increased from 64.8 kg at day 1 to 69.1 kg at day 180 (p < .001). The percentage of patients with abdominal pain decreased from 96% to 23%. One patient sustained a colon mesentery injury after DPEJ tube placement. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term nutrition support by PEG/J or DPEJ in patients with symptomatic, chronic pancreatitis increases patients' body weight and decreases the degree of malnutrition, abdominal pain, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. The underlying mechanisms for these observations are unclear and require further investigation. Small-bowel rest with reduced pancreatic gland stimulation might be a key component. Moderately to severely malnourished patients who do not respond to oral dietary interventions and who are candidates for elective pancreatic surgery might also be candidates for long-term preoperative jejunal feeding to reduce malnutrition-associated perioperative complications. In experienced hands, we feel that long-term jejunal feeding is safe, with minimal major complications.     

Experience of post-pyloric feeding in seriously ill patients in clinical practice

BACKGROUND: Maintaining nutrition is an integral part of patient care and when it is possible enteral nutrition is regarded as superior to parenteral nutrition. Post-pyloric feeding may enable enteral feeding to be maintained in patients who cannot tolerate nasogastric feeding. The success of post-pyloric feeding in routine clinical practice is uncertain. METHODS: One hundred and forty six consecutive patients who had 150 separate episodes of post-pyloric feeding were identified. Casenotes were reviewed to assess indication for post-pyloric feeding, prior use of alternative methods of feeding, success of achieving nutritional requirements and patient outcome. RESULTS: A post-pyloric tube was successfully placed in 138 (92%) and nutritional requirements were met by post-pyloric feeding alone in 124 (83%). Post-pyloric feeding was used for between 2 and 254 days (median 14 days). Conditions for which post-pyloric feeding was used to administer nutritional support included burn injury, pancreatitis, sepsis, post-operative gastric stasis, bone marrow transplantation and chemotherapy induced vomiting. Fifty (33%) patients had an attempt at nasogastric feeding and 33 (22%) were on total parenteral nutrition before post-pyloric feeding was commenced. There was one major complication of a jejunal ulcer bleed in the series. Minor complications included displacement of the nasojejunal tube and failure to absorb feed related to gastrointestinal dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Post-pyloric feeding can be successfully used to maintain enteral nutrition in patients who would otherwise require parenteral nutrition.