Is mechanical bowel preparation for surgery of esophageal cancer valid?—a retrospective study—

Abstract

PURPOSE : The purpose of this study was to clarify the validity of the mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) for thoracic esophageal surgery.
METHODS : Consecutive 59 patients who underwent curative surgery for esophageal cancer between January 2005 and Decomber 2009 in our center were enrolled in this study. These 59 patients, comprising 32 patients with MBP (MBP group) and the remaining 27 patients without MBP (non-MBP group), were compavatively studied to elucidate effects of MBP on the surgery and postoperative course.
RESULTS : The mean body weight on the day of the operation significantly decreased in comparison to the day before operation in both groups (P<0.05). The body weight loss in the MBP group was significantly greater than in the non-MBP group (-1.1kg vs. -0.8kg, P<0.05). No intra-operative fecal incontinence was observed in either group. The day of first evacuation after surgery in the non-MBP group was earlier than in the MBP group (6 days vs. 4 days, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the postoperative complications or in the hospital stay after operation between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS : MBP tended to cause the patients to develop dehydration. We concluded that the routine use of MBP was not necessary when performing surgery for thoracic esophageal cancer.