Table 2 Principles of FTS pathway and conventional pathway

Preoperative education

Patients were educated systematically by the esophageal clinical nurse consultant;

Patients were educated in the standard manner

Day before surgery

 Diet

Last drink 2 h and diet 6 h before operation

Last drink and diet at midnight

 Fructose and protein loading

Yes

No

Day of surgery

 Nasogastric tube

No routine use of nasogastric tube

Routine use of nasogastric tube

 Pre-anesthetic medication

No

Diazepam 10 mg

 Anesthesia

General anesthesia + Epidural anesthesia;

General anesthesia;

 Maintaining normothermia

Yes

No

 Transfusion

Autologous blood transfusion or limit allogenic blood transfusion

Allogenic blood transfusion

 Abdomen tube

No routine use of drains

Routine placement; Remove at POD3

 Cervical tube

No routine use of drains

Routine placement; Remove at POD2

 Early postoperative care

Patient sent to floor

Patient sent to ICU

 Analgesia

Epidural PCA

Analgesia by morphine or vein PCA

 Enteral nutrition

Jejunostomy tube feeding

Nasojejunal tube feeding