Routine Post-Operative Supplemental Nutrition

Patients undergoing an esophagectomy will be randomized to receive either (1) routine
post-operative tube feeding for 1 month post-operative or (2) usual practice, which is tube
feeding to continue in the hospital until the patient is taking adequate nutrition by mouth
at POD#8, or upon discharge.

Specific Aim 1 is to determine the occurrence of common complications and readmissions
post-operatively between the two patient groups. The investigators hypothesize that routine
use of tube feeding may reduce the occurrence of post-operative complications.

Specific Aim 2 is to determine if routine dietary supplementation with enteral tube affects
recovery and QOL after esophagectomy. The investigators hypothesize that routine
post-operative supplementation will enhance patients recovery and QOL.

For esophagectomy specifically, there is very limited literature evaluating the complication
rate and QOL associated with the length of post-operative tube feeding and adequate
nutritional requirements. Small randomized studies have not shown a benefit to routine tube
feeding, although the numbers were very small, ranging from 12-70 per group. The
investigators will randomize 200 patients for the purpose of this study.