To assess the safety and cost-effectiveness of needle-catheter jejunostomy for the purpose of feeding defined formula diet, we studied 199 consecutive patients who underwent major elective and emergency abdominal operations between July 1975 and June 1978 and in whom a needle-catheter jejunostomy was inserted. The complication rate was 2.5 per cent (1 per cent major and 1.5 per cent minor) during 7,238 patient-days of catheter exposure during which over 6 million calories were administered. There were no catheter-related deaths, bowel obstructions, bowel perforations, or intraperitoneal administration of feeding formula. The presence of a route of intestinal access and the use of defined formula diet in 111 patients who were unable to eat for over 10 days postoperatively resulted in a gross cost savings of almost $50,000 and a net savings of almost $33,000 by avoiding the necessity for central total parenteral nutrition. We belive the technique of needle-catheter jejunostomy is both safe and cost-effective in the administration of defined formula diet in the postoperative period, and we suggest that other surgeons gain experience with the technique to define its role in their own therapeutic armamentarium.