Prisacariu IA, Koumarelas KE, Argyriou K, Charalabopoulos A, Christodoulidis G. Optimizing nutritional support in upper gastrointestinal surgery: A comprehensive review of feeding jejunostomy techniques and outcomes. World J Gastrointest Surg 2025; 17(10): 109535 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i10.109535]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Grigorios Christodoulidis, MD, PhD, Department of General Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Mezourlo, Larissa 41110, Thessalia, Greece. gregsurg@yahoo.gr
Research Domain of This Article
Surgery
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Oct 27, 2025 (publication date) through Oct 24, 2025
Times Cited of This Article
Times Cited (0)
Journal Information of This Article
Publication Name
World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery
ISSN
1948-9366
Publisher of This Article
Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Prisacariu IA, Koumarelas KE, Argyriou K, Charalabopoulos A, Christodoulidis G. Optimizing nutritional support in upper gastrointestinal surgery: A comprehensive review of feeding jejunostomy techniques and outcomes. World J Gastrointest Surg 2025; 17(10): 109535 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.v17.i10.109535]
Ioana Alexandra Prisacariu, Department of Rehabilitation, Luzerner Kantonsspital Wolhusen, Lucerne 6110, Luzern, Switzerland
Konstantinos Eleftherios Koumarelas, Department of General and Orthopaedic Surgery, Spitalverbund Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Herisau 9100, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland
Konstantinos Argyriou, Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa GR41110, Greece
Alexandros Charalabopoulos, Department of General and Upper Gastro-Intestinal Surgery, Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford CM1 7ET, Essex County, United Kingdom
Grigorios Christodoulidis, Department of General Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa 41110, Thessalia, Greece
Co-first authors: Ioana Alexandra Prisacariu and Konstantinos Eleftherios Koumarelas.
Author contributions: Prisacariu IA and Koumarelas KE contributed equally to this work as co-first authors. The reasons for designating them as co-first authors are threefold. First, the research was performed as a collaborative effort, and the designation of co-first authorship accurately reflects the distribution of responsibilities and the substantial time and effort invested by both authors in completing the study and manuscript. This joint leadership also facilitated effective communication and coordination of post-submission matters, enhancing the quality and reliability of the final work. Second, the overall research team included authors with diverse expertise and skills, and the co-first authorship designation best reflects this diversity. By contributing complementary perspectives in study design, data synthesis, and manuscript drafting, both authors ensured a more comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the research question, thereby enriching readers’ understanding. Third, both authors contributed efforts of equal substance throughout the research process—from literature search and study selection to data analysis, drafting, and critical revision. Recognizing them as co-first authors acknowledges and respects this equality of contribution, while underlining the collaborative and team-oriented spirit of the project; Christodoulidis G, Argyriou K and Charalabopoulos A conceived the study, edited and finalized the manuscript for submission; Christodoulidis G, Argyriou K and Charalabopoulos A, reviewed and approved the submitted manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Grigorios Christodoulidis, MD, PhD, Department of General Surgery, University Hospital of Larissa, Mezourlo, Larissa 41110, Thessalia, Greece. gregsurg@yahoo.gr
Received: May 14, 2025 Revised: June 3, 2025 Accepted: August 25, 2025 Published online: October 27, 2025 Processing time: 163 Days and 3.9 Hours
Abstract
This minireview synthesizes literature on the use of feeding jejunostomy tubes (FJTs) in the postoperative management of gastroesophageal cancer patients. Gastrectomy and esophagectomy remain the primary curative treatments for gastric and esophageal cancers, respectively, but are frequently accompanied by significant postoperative malnutrition, which adversely impacts surgical and oncological outcomes as well as patients’ quality of life. To address this, the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Surgery and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommend early enteral feeding through FJT placement following major surgery. While previous studies have demonstrated that FJT is an effective and reliable route for nutritional support, its placement is invasive and carries associated risks. Consequently, many clinicians opt for less invasive alternatives such as total parenteral nutrition or nasogastric tube feeding, although these approaches yield variable results. This review explores the benefits and potential complications of FJT placement, identifies variability in clinical adoption and the absence of standardized protocols, and highlights areas for future research to optimize patient care in this challenging context.
Core Tip: Nutritional support is of utmost importance for the postoperative management of patients with gastroesophageal malignancy, with National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommending early enteral feeding to enhance patients’ surgical and oncological outcomes. Feeding jejunostomy tube (FJT) placement can offer a secure route for rapidly improving patients’ nutritional status; however, its placement is not a risk-free procedure and hence, is not preferred in daily clinical practice. In this review, by weighing up the benefits and complications of FJT placement, we discuss its utility in the postoperative management of patients with gastroesophageal cancer, promoting its use and disclosing areas that need further investigation.
