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MCT Enteral Feeding to Reduce Chyle Leak After Oesophagectomy

NCT07616245 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 160

Last updated 2026-06-01

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Chyle leak (chylothorax) is a recognised complication following minimally invasive oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer and may result in prolonged hospital stay, nutritional compromise, and need for additional interventions.

Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) feeds reduce lymphatic flow as they are absorbed directly via the portal circulation rather than through the thoracic duct. While MCT feeds are commonly used in the management of established chyle leaks, their role in prevention has not been evaluated in a randomised controlled trial.

This single-centre randomised controlled trial will evaluate whether initiating postoperative jejunostomy feeding with MCT-based enteral nutrition reduces the incidence of clinically and biochemically confirmed chyle leak compared with standard enteral feeding in patients undergoing minimally invasive or robotic-assisted oesophagectomy.

Participants will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive either MCT-based feeds or standard jejunostomy feeds starting on postoperative day 1. The primary outcome is the incidence of chylothorax. Secondary outcomes include chest drain output, re-intervention rates, and length of hospital stay.

Conditions

  • Oesphageal Cancer

Interventions

OTHER

Standard Jejunostomy Feed (Nutrison Protein Plus)

Postoperative enteral feeding using a standard long-chain triglyceride-based jejunostomy formula (Nutrison Protein Plus 1.25 kcal/ml), initiated on postoperative day 1 and escalated according to institutional feeding protocol.

OTHER

MCT-Based Jejunostomy Feed (Nutrison Peptisorb)

Postoperative enteral feeding using a medium-chain triglyceride-based jejunostomy formula (Nutrison Peptisorb 1 kcal/ml), initiated on postoperative day 1 and escalated according to institutional feeding protocol.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2025-10-02
Primary Completion
2027-12-31
Completion
2028-12-31

Countries

  • Ireland

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07616245 on ClinicalTrials.gov