ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effect of great omentum combined with medical obturation glue on preventing thoracic cavity anastomotic leakage.Methods From August 2008 to September 2012,560 patients with esophageal gastric cardial carcinoma were enrolled and divided into two groups:the regular group (n =280) and the experimental group (n =280).In the regular group,anastomosis was reinforced with interrupted mattress sutures after esophageal gastric anastomosis was stapled.In the experimental group,anastomosis was covered with great omentum and medical obturation glue was sprayed to conglutinate after reinforced with interrupted mattress sutures.After that,gastric corpus was fixed upon the thoracic aorta and posterior chest wall.The clinical effects of the two groups were compared.Results Intrathoracic anastomotic leakage occurred in 8 cases (2.86％(8/280)) of the regular group,including 7 cases with symptomatic leakage and 1 case with asymptomatic loculate leakage.Seven patients were cured with conservative treatment and 1 patient with severe infection left hospital without cure.Average length of hospital stay was (55.6 ± 30.5) days postoperatively.Anastomotic stenosis occurred in 11 patients (3.93％,11/280).In the experimental group,one patient (0.36％,1/280) with asymptomatic loculate leakage was hospitalized for 20 days,and finally cured and discharged.8 cases with anastomotic stenosis occurred in the experimental group (2.86％,8/280).There was statistic difference in the rate of intrathoracic anastomotic leakage between the two groups (P =0.044),but there was no statistic difference in anastomotic stenosis between the two groups (P =0.484).Conclusion The technique of great omentum combined with medical obturation glue for preventing thoracic cavity anastomotic leakage,which is easy to perform,can obviously decrease the occurrence and attenuate the symptom of intrathoracic anastomotic leakage,and anastomotic stenosis increases unobviously.It also can shorten the length of hospital stay and is worthy of clinical promotion.