Needle catheter jejunostomy: an aid to postoperative care of the morbidly obese patient.

Use of a needle catheter jejunostomy after abdominal surgery in morbidly obese patients markedly facilitates their postoperative care, especially after re-do bariatric surgery. Needle catheter jejunostomy was used in 42 patients undergoing bariatric surgery. All maintenance and replacement fluids and all medications, whenever possible, were administered enterally via the catheter jejunostomy from the first postoperative day onwards. The intravenous catheter was usually removed on the first or second day after surgery. Enteral nutrition was also given in 27 patients. There were no serious complications. In addition to providing an access for enteral nutrition, this technique avoids the problems of prolonged venous access in the morbidly obese patient and allows the administration of most medications otherwise requiring parenteral access.