In a prospective randomised study the use of an elemental versus a nonelemental diet for early postoperative enteral feeding by needle catheter jejunostomy was investigated. After extensive gastrointestinal surgery, 25 patients received an elemental and 24 patients a nonelemental diet. The incidence of diarrhoea, the effects of the feeding and the costs were evaluated. The occurrence of diarrhoea was observed more frequently in the elemental diet group (14 25 ) compared to the nonelemental diet group (7 24 ), although this difference was statistically not significant (p > 0.05). No difference was found between the two groups in postoperative restoration of total protein and serum albumin levels and the extent of the postoperative weight loss. The costs showed a clear difference: the nonelemental diet was three times cheaper than the elemental diet. For early postoperative enteral feeding by needle catheter jejunostomy we therefore recommend the use of a nonelemental diet.