Espophageal Disease Program: Nutritional Support

Nutritional Support

Good nutrition is important for everyone, but it is especially important when your body is fighting disease or recovering from surgery. What you eat affects how you feel and how well you recover from treatment. If you are well-nourished, your body is better able to handle the many stresses of illness, your treatments may be more effective, and side effects that occur may be less troublesome.

Eat a variety of different foods every day, since no food or group of foods contain all the nutrients you need. A diet to keep your body strong includes daily servings of fruits and vegetables, meats and other high-protein foods, grains and dairy foods.

Patients who have undergone esophageal surgery will have specific dietary planning aimed at providing adequate nutrition and avoiding postoperative difficulties. Esophagectomy patients will often notice "sticking" in their throat between the upper esophagus and mobilized stomach. Swelling in this area can cause narrowing, which makes soft foods easier to handle. If this sticking persists, your doctor may need to dilate this area on a few occasions. The esophagectomy patient may also experience a sense of early "fullness" with meals. Diarrhea can also be a temporary problem when high-sugar content foods or milk products are ingested.

Special dietary plans have been developed by the dietitians and the medical staff to assist the esophagectomy patient during their early recovery. While the esophagectomy patient is recovering from surgery, a temporary feeding tube will be used to supplement nutritional needs. This tube is placed in the small intestine (jejunum) at the time of the surgery and exits the body in the left side of the abdomen. This particular tube feeding device is called a jejunostomy. The jejunostomy tube usually stays in place for about one month after surgery. Once the supplemental feeding is no longer necessary, the tube is removed in the outpatient clinic.

After anti-reflux surgery (fundoplication), special dietary management is also required. The patient should avoid gas-forming foods to prevent the occurence of bloating and excess intestinal gas. Soft foods are alos better tolerated during the early healing period when swelling about the repair can cause "sticking" with heavy meats and vegetables.

Co-Director
Paul Lebovitz, M.D.

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