[Esophagectomy after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)].

Herein, we report 9 patients who underwent esophagectomy after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) between April 2003 and December 2013. All patients were men, with a mean age of 65 years. En bloc ESD was performed, and no complications arose in any patient. The mean surgical time of esophagectomy was 323 minutes, and mean blood loss was 295 mL. Postoperative complications were present in 5 patients(anastomotic leakage in 3, pulmonary complications in 2, and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy in 1). In a patient diagnosed with pT1b-SM1 disease after ESD, a residual tumor(pT1a-MM, N0) was detected after esophagectomy. In another patient diagnosed with pT1b-SM2 disease, lymph node metastasis was detected after esophagectomy. In all patients, curative resection was performed, and no recurrences have been observed to date. This highlights the importance of additional esophagectomy after ESD for patients with pT1b disease. Esophagectomy after ESD can be considered a valid treatment because it provides high curative rates with acceptable safety.

[Usefulness of esophageal stenting by using a covered self-expandable metallic stent for esophagorespiratory fistula associated with esophageal carcinoma].

We report three cases of esophagorespiratory fistula associated with esophageal carcinoma successfully treated with esophageal stenting by using a covered self-expandable metallic stent (SEMS). All three cases had advanced esophageal carcinoma at middle thoracic esophagus with esophagorespiratory fistula at the level of esophageal carcinoma. Case 1 is a 58-year-old man who had lung abscess due to esophagopulmonary fistula caused after induction chemoradiotherapy. He underwent a surgical resection of the affected lung and intraoperative esophageal stenting with dietary intake starting on day 26 after stenting. Case 2 is a 60-year-old man with esophagopulmonary fistula caused after primary chemotherapy. He started to take an oral intake on day 3 after esophageal stenting. Case 3 is a 68-year-old man with esophagobronchial fistula detected at the first medical examination. He started to take an oral diet on day 7 after esophageal stenting. All three cases had a rapid improvement of respiratory symptoms, pneumonia and malnutrition by esophageal stenting leading to marked improvement of impaired general condition. Esophageal stenting is a useful method for palliation of esophageal carcinoma with respiratory fistula.