Objective: To assess the need for routine nasogastric decompression after extensive resections in patients with gastric cancer.
Design: Prospective randomised study.
Setting: University hospital, Korea.
Subjects: Over a 1-year period (July 1999-July 200), 136 patients with gastric cancer who underwent radical gastrectomy with D2 or more lymph node dissection.
Interventions: Randomised to have nasogastric decompression (n = 69) or not (n = 67).
Main outcome measures: Postoperative course, morbidity, and mortality.
Results: Time to passage of first flatus, time to taking liquid diet, length of operation, and postoperative hospital stay were all significantly shorter in the no decompression group. Two patients in each group required subsequent nasogastric decompression. There were no significant differences between the two groups concerning the presence of postoperative fever, nausea, vomiting, anastomotic leaks, or pulmonary or wound complications. No patients died.
Conclusions: Routine nasogastric decompression is not necessary in elective operations for gastric cancer.