Aim: We sought to determine the effect of different nutritional management regimens after gastric cancer surgery on full consumption of meals after surgery and short-term postoperative weight change. Methods: We investigated 122 consecutive patients with stage I gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy between November 2011 and July 2017. Patients were divided into three nutritional management groups based on the clinical pathway (including postoperative oral diet) followed in our hospital before April 2013, between April 2013 and April 2015, and after April 2015: early term group (n=33) received clear liquid from postoperative (POD) 1 and a liquid food diet from POD4; mid-term group (n=45) received semi-solid oral nutritional supplements from POD1 and a staple diet of thin rice porridge from POD4; and late-term group (n=44) received semi-solid oral nutritional supplements from POD1 and a staple diet of thick rice porridge from POD4. We compared perioperative progress, the percentage of patients who fully consumed their postoperative meals, and weight change within the first month between the groups. Results: The percentage of patients who fully consumed their first postoperative meal increased (33.3%, 68.9%, and 77.3% in the early, mid-term, and late-term groups, respectively) and the percentage of weight loss decreased (7.1±3.9%, 6.5±3.5%, and 5.7±2.2%, respectively) according to the postoperative nutritional management regimen. Conclusions: Transitioning from semi-solid oral supplements to thick rice porridge meals in postoperative nutritional management for gastric cancer helped to increase the percentage of patients who fully consumed their postoperative meals and preventing postoperative weight loss.

Purpose: We sought to determine the effect of intervention by the nutrition support team (NST) in a home-based medical care setting.

Subjects and Methods: A total of 101 patients received NST home-based intervention from April 2016 to December 2107. Patients were classified into two groups based on the purpose of intervention: the quality of life (QOL) improvement group and the nutritional improvement group. The effect of NST intervention on nutritional condition was investigated in the latter group.

Result: All nutritional parameters (energy sufficiency rate, lymphocyte count, body mass index, serum albumin, serum transthyretin, etc.) showed improvement in the nutritional improvement group. Moreover, all parameters except lymphoid count showed significant improvement.

Conclusion: Patients’ nutritional condition was improved by NST intervention in a home-based medical care setting. NST intervention is expected to contribute to quality improvement of home-based medical care.

Objective: Enteral nutrition with liquid diet is associated with problems such as longer duration in bed and higher incidence of complications in patients with dysphagia undergoing rehabilitation. This study investigated the usefulness of a liquid diet that changes state from liquid to semisolid depending on pH level, the Mermaid^® viscosity-changeable liquid diet, in such patients.

Subjects and methods: Subjects were 17 post-stroke patients with dysphagia who were receiving enteral nutrition. They received a conventional liquid diet for 4 weeks, which was then switched to the viscosity-changeable liquid diet for a further 4 weeks. The incidence of aspiration pneumonia or diarrhea, duration in bed, blood glucose excursion, and effects on rehabilitation were compared between the two diet conditions.

Results: After switching to the viscosity-changeable liquid diet, the time for training increased with a decrease in duration in bed, and the incidence of aspiration pneumonia and of diarrhea decreased. Glucose excursion also improved to within normal range. These changes led to a significantly improved performance of activities of daily living.

Conclusion: The Mermaid^® viscosity-changeable liquid diet was effective in reducing duration in bed and preventing complications, and is therefore beneficial for post-stroke patients with dysphagia undergoing rehabilitation. The effects were considered to be related to not only the solidification of the diet but also its fiber and alginic acid contents.