Objective：To explore a method to improve the nutritional state and immune function of patients after radical gastrectomy, and to decrease postoperative complication rate and accelerate recovery from operation.
Methods： In line with the concept of fast tract surgery (FTS), a new perioperative nutritional schedule was made for patients prior to radical gastrectomy, ehich included preoperative nutritional risk screen and prophylactic enteral nutrition, early postoperative light enteral nutrition, early ambulation and perioperative nursing care. Patients with gastric cancer were randomly assigned into fast track group or a simple control group. New perioperative schedule was executed in the patients of fast track group and traditional nutrition support in control group. After operation, serum albumen was measured to evaluate the patient's nutritional state and serum IgA to evaluate gastrointestinal immune function. In addition, the time to passage of flatus, postoperative recovery time and complication rate after operation were compared.
Results：Patiens in FTS group (n=35) showed higher serum albumin and serum IgA on d1 and d3 after operation than those in the control group (n=25) (P＜0.05-0.01). Patients in FTS group had earlier food intake because of earlier passage of flatus, compared to those in the control group.
Conclusions：Our study demonstrates that the nutritional and nursing concepts of FTS can be employed in the perioperative therapy of patients with gastric carcinama. Patients will benefit from less complications and early discharge from hospital, and with no increase of the operative risk.