Skip to main content
Canadian Journal of Surgery logoLink to Canadian Journal of Surgery
. 1998 Dec;41(6):459–462.

Small-bowel necrosis associated with jejunal tube feeding

D Kirk Lawlor 1, Richard I Inculet 1,, Richard A Malthaner 1
PMCID: PMC3949804  PMID: 9854537

Abstract

Objectives

To report 3 cases of small-bowel necrosis after jejunal tube feeding and to review the literature concerning this condition.

Design

A 5-year retrospective review.

Setting

A 560-bed university-affiliated tertiary-care teaching hospital.

Patients

Three patients who had bowel necrosis out of 386 who received jejunal tube feedings.

Results

The patients experienced small-bowel necrosis as a consequence of jejunal feeding. The ischemic necrosis was preceded by progressive abdominal pain, distension and high nasogastric output. All 3 patients required extensive small-bowel resection. Although survival was rare in previous reports, our 3 patients survived after prompt surgical intervention and small-bowel resection.

Conclusions

Although the death rate for this condition approaches 70%, timely recognition and surgical intervention can save the patient’s life.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (104.6 KB).


Articles from Canadian Journal of Surgery are provided here courtesy of Canadian Medical Association

RESOURCES