2019 Volume 1 Issue 3 Pages 134-139
Objective: Gastroesophageal reflux, dumping syndrome, leak from a gastric fistula[[please confirm, and diarrhea are serious adverse events in enteral tube feeding via gastrostomy in pediatric patients. Semi-solid enteral nutrition formula with higher viscosity than liquid formula has recently been reported to be effective in reducing the occurrence of such adverse events. We examined the effects of semi-solid nutrition on alleviation of these adverse events and on gastric emptying in pediatric patients with gastrostomy.
Methods: Between July 2014 and June 2016, semi-solid nutrition (RACOL®-NF Semi Solid for Enteral Use) was introduced for 53 patients with gastrostomy and the effects were retrospectively examined. We performed gastrointestinal scintigraphy to compare intragastric distribution and gastric emptying between liquid and semi-solid enteral nutrition formulas in 17 patients.
Results: After the introduction of semi-solid formula, symptoms disappeared in 81% of those with dumping syndrome (13/16), 80% of those with gastroesophageal reflux (8/10), and 100% of those with leak from a gastric fistula (1/1). Of the 17 patients who underwent gastrointestinal scintigraphy, the half-time of gastric emptying was significantly longer with semi-solid formula (60 min) than with liquid formula (30 min).
Conclusion: Semi-solid enteral nutrition slowed gastric emptying in the early stages of tube feeding, thereby preventing dumping syndrome. Gastroesophageal reflux was significantly alleviated because of the high viscosity of the semi-solid formula and consequent reduction in gastric residual volume.
