Delayed esophageal complications after anterior cervical spine surgery / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate incidence,diagnosis and treatment strategy of delayed esophageal complications after anterior cervical spine surgery.Methods The clinical data of 2316 patients who had undergone anterior cervical spine surgery from January 2001 to December 2011 were analyzed.The delayed esophageal complications were defined as esophageal perforation,esophago-tracheal fistula,esophago-cutaneous fistula,diverticulum of esophagus,esophagopleural fistula and esophageal stenosis that occurred 2 weeks after spine surgery.Results Delayed esophageal complications occurred in 4 patients,and the incidence was 0.17％.Esophageal perforation occurred in 2 patients; the incidence was 0.09％.Case 1 was a 31-year-old man who was found to have esophageal diverticulum and perforation 7 years after anterior cervical spine surgery.Then he underwent removal of implant,excision of diverticulum,and repair of esophagus with sternohyoid muscle flap and omohyoid muscle flap.Case 2 was a 46-year-old man who was found to have esophageal diverticulum 3 years after cervical spine surgery.He also underwent removal of implant,excision of diverticulum,and repair of esophagus with sternohyoid muscle flap and omohyoid muscle flap.Case 3 was a 58-year-old woman who was found to have esophageal diverticulum 5 years after cervical spine surgery.She underwent removal of implant,excision of diverticulum,and repair of esophagus with sternocleidomastoid muscle flap.Case 4 was a 56-year-old woman who was found to have esophageal perforation 3 years after cervical spine surgery.She underwent removal of implant and repair of esophagus with sternocleidomastoid muscle flap.All 4 patients recovered after operation.Conclusion The incidence of delayed esophageal complications after anterior cervical spine surgery is low,and the diagnosis is difficult.X-ray,digestive tract radiography,and gastrointestinal endoscopy are the main diagnostic tools.Surgical treatment is the main and effective management.