It is not recommended to eat even after 7 days of gastrectomy mainly because the volume of gastrointestinal tract is reduced with weakened gastrointestinal peristalsis and the anastomosis has not recovered well.
1. Volume reduction: after gastrectomy, the volume of gastric contents will be reduced to different degrees, so it will stimulate the patient to have a weakened appetite or not be able to eat normally.
The gastrointestinal tract will not be able to properly digest the amount of food that was previously eaten on a daily basis. If you eat normally or eat too much, it may instead cause localized accumulation of food or stomach pain, so eating is not recommended in the short term after gastrectomy.
2. Weakened peristalsis: anesthesia drugs will be used during gastrectomy, therefore, the anesthesia drugs are not fully metabolized in two to three days after the operation, which will lead to weakened peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract, thus unable to carry out independent peristalsis and digestion.
Meanwhile, the gastrointestinal tract has not yet adapted to the volume and function of the digestive system after the surgery within 7 days after the operation, so the symptoms of indigestion or peristalsis weakening will appear, and it is not suitable for eating.
3. The anastomosis has not recovered well: 7 days after gastrectomy, the surgical wound of the stomach and the anastomosis have not fully recovered, so eating is not recommended.
After gastrectomy, most of the patients will be supplemented with nutrient solution for a short period of time, and it is not recommended to eat before the normal digestive function is restored.