MCT Enteral Feeding to Reduce Chyle Leak After Oesophagectomy

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Oesphageal Cancer

In brief

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.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07616245

Run by

Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland

People needed

160

Starts

2025-10-02

Expected to finish

2028-12-31

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-01

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Age ≥ 18 years
• Diagnosis of oesophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma)
• Planned minimally invasive or robotic-assisted oesophagectomy (MIO or RAMIO) with curative intent
• Placement of feeding jejunostomy at or prior to oesophagectomy
• Able to provide written informed consent

You may not qualify if…

• Inability to provide informed consent
• No feeding jejunostomy placed at or prior to surgery
• Prior or concomitant malignancy that would interfere with study protocol or outcomes

Where it is running

• Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre — Beaumont, Dublin, Ireland (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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