ABSTRACT
To determine cardiac complications and associated risk factors in the first week post transhiatal esophagectomy for esophageal cancer patients without detectable cardiac diseases. This descriptive study was conducted during the period from January 2000 through October 2007. Sixty-eight patients were included in this study. Patients with pre existing cardiac diseases were excluded. All the patients underwent transhiatal esophagectomy for a malignant lesion. All the cardiac complications were documented and analysed in the first week post operatively. There were 50 males [73.5%] and 18 females [26.5%], age ranged from 35 to 83 years [mean 62.7 +/- 10.3]. Post operative cardiac complications occurred in 25 patients [36.8%] during the first post operative week. Atrial fibrillation was the most commonly reported cardiac complication which occurred in 14 patients [20.6%], followed by supra ventricular tachycardia in six patients [8.8%], two patients developed atrial flutter [2.9%], fatal myocardial infarction in two patients [2.9%] and nonfatal myocardial infarction in one [1.5%]. Male gender, older age, longer procedure and first 48 hours post transhiatal esophagectomy were risk factors. Cardiac complications, mainly arrhythmias, are common after transhiatal esophagectomy. Preoperative evaluation, intraoperative and postoperative cardiac monitoring are mandatory in all patients even in those who have no cardiac illnesses