Wide Gastric Conduit Increases the Risk of Benign Anastomotic Stricture After Esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND: To identify the association between the width of the gastric conduit and the benign anastomotic stricture (BAS) after esophagectomy with end-to-side cervical anastomosis for esophageal cancer. METHODS: Patients with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy between July 2013 and July 2014 were included in this study. The gastric conduit was used for reconstruction in all patients and end-to-side cervical anastomosis were performed using a circular stapler. The patients were divided into a narrow group (3-5 cm) and a wide group (>5 cm) based on the gastric conduit width. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze the possible factors (patients' age, gender, preoperative comorbidities, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, gastric conduit width, anastomotic leakage) that could affect the incidence of BAS. RESULTS: Two-hundred and one patients were included in this study. The median follow-up period was 29 months (17-58 months). Seven cases (3.5%) showed anastomotic leakage in the postoperative period and 38 patients (18.9%) developed BAS; all within the first year of follow-up. In univariate analysis, the width of the gastric conduit was the only risk factor for the development of BAS (odds ratio [OR] = 3.36, P = .005). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the wide group was an independent significant risk factor for the development of BAS developing compared with the narrow group (OR = 2.84, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: A wide gastric conduit width (>5 cm) is an independent risk factor for the development of BAS after esophagectomy and stapled cervical end-to-side anastomosis for esophageal cancer.

[Clinical features and management of pyothorax due to postoperative cervical anastomotic leakage in esophageal cancer surgery].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and managements of pyothorax due to postoperative cervical anastomotic leakage after esophageal cancer surgery. METHODS: From January 2006 to January 2013, 3342 patients with esophageal carcinoma underwent esophagectomy and cervical esophagogastric anastomosis. Of them, 19 patients developed pyothorax following cervical anastomotic leakage and their clinicopathological data were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: All the patients underwent a cervical anastomosis via a three-incisional approach (right cervicothoracic mid-abdominal incision, RT group, n=1094) or a two-incisional approach (left cervicothoracic incision, LT group, n=2248). The total number of cervical anastomotic leakage cases was 237, of which 152 cases were in LT group (6.8%), and 85 cases in RT group (7.8%), respectively (P=0.287). The incidence of pyothorax was 2.0% (n=3) in LT group, and 18.8% (n=16) in RT group, respectively (P<0.01). Fourteen cases develop pyothorax within 3 days after operation. The main symptoms were high fever, dyspnea and chest pain. All the pyothorax patients received conservative treatments, including thoracic closed drainage, nasogastric tube placement, jejunal stoma, nutritional support, antibiotics and symptomatic treatment. Sixteen cases were cured, while 3 cases were dead. CONCLUSIONS: The right thoracotomy approach predisposes the cervical anastomotic leakage-associated pyothorax. Sufficient drainage and sufficient nutritional support are critical to the treatment.