Abstract： Objective To investigate the clinical application of tubular stomach in cervical esophageal reconstruction after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. Methods A total of 850 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy through cervico-thoraco-abdominal（3-field）approach between January 2007 and January 2009 in North Jiangsu Hospital were allocated into the tubular stomach group（group A, n=425） and the whole stomach group （group B, n=425）by operation order. Group A included 287 male and 138 female patients with their average age of 58.2±11.5 years. Among them, 27 patients had upper esophageal cancer, 346 patients had middle esophageal cancer and 52 patients had lower esophageal cancer. Group B included 298 male and 127 female patients with their average age of 58.5±12.8 years. Among them, 33 patients had upper esophageal cancer, 338 patients had middle esophageal cancer, and 54 patients had lower esophageal cancer. Operation time, postoperative length of hospital stay and the incidence of anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stricture, intra-thoracic stomach syndrome and reflux esophagitis of the two groups were compared. Results All the patients recovered uneventfully with no in-hospital death. There was no statistical difference in operation time （175.0±12.8 min vs.171.0±10.5 min，t=1.702，P＞ 0.05）and postoperative length of hospital stay （16.0±8.5 d vs.16.3±8.8 d，t=1.773，P＞ 0.05） between the two groups. During follow-up of six months, the rates of anastomotic leakage（χ2=5.550，P＜ 0.05）, intra-thoracic stomach syndrome （χ2=10.500，P＜ 0.05）and reflux esophagitis（χ2=9.150，P＜ 0.05） of group A were significantly lower than those of group B. There was no significant difference in the incidence of anastomotic stricture （χ2=0.120，P＞ 0.05） between the two groups. Conclusion Tubular stomach is better than whole stomach for cervical esophageal reconstruction after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer since it is more physiologically and anatomically complied. It can decrease the incidence of anastomotic leakage, intra-thoracic stomach syndrome, reflux esophagitis and improve the postoperative quality of life.
Objective To summarize the experiences of applying gastric tube in minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE), in order to assess its feasibility and safety. [WTHZ]Methods From June 2004 to August 2009, MIE was performed on 102 patients with esophageal carcinoma, including 71 males and 31 females whose age ranged from 37 to 79 years old with an average age of 61.1. Among them, 62 patients underwent thoracoscopic laparotomy 3-incision esophagectomy, 35 patients underwent thoracoscopic and laparoscopic 3-incision esophagectomy and 5 patients underwent thoracotomy and laparoscopic esophagectomy. Prevertebral reconstruction was performed on 58 patients and retrosternal reconstruction was performed on 44 patients. [WTHZ]Results All operations were performed successfully with a perioperative mortality rate of 2.0%(2/102) and a postoperative complication rate of 41.2%(42/102). The complications included anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stricture and lung infection. The complication rate was higher in the retrosternal group than in the prevertebral group (56.8% vs. 29.3%, Plt;0.05). Anastomotic leakage rate in the retrosternal group was also higher than that in the prevertebral group (34.1% vs. 6.9%, Plt;0.05). There was no significant difference in anastomotic stenosis, gastric fistula, dysfunction of gastric emptying, heart and lung complications, chylothorax and injury of recurrent laryngeal nerve between the two groups. [WTHZ]Conclusion Gastric tube is an effective way for reconstruction of the digestive tract after minimally invasive esophagectomy. The choice of prevertebral reconstruction or retrosternal reconstruction should be based on each individual patient.
Abstract: Objective To Evaluate the clinical outcome of gastric tube in radical surgeries to treat esophageal and cardial carcinoma. Methods From January to October 2008, 74 patients with esophageal or cardial carcinoma in Ruijin Hospital were enrolled in our study. Based on the surgical method, they were divided into the gastric tube group and the traditional way group. The gastric tube group had 46 patients, including 36 male patients and 10 female patients, whose age averaged 59.67±9.96 years (36 to 77 years). Among them, 31 patients had esophageal carcinoma with 1 upper, 23 middle and 7 lower esophageal carcinoma, and 15 patients had cardial carcinoma. In this group, 2 patients were treated with anastomosis in the left neck, 19 with anastomosis in the upper aortic arch, 10 with anastomosis in the lower aortic arch and 15 cardial carcinoma patients underwent radical resection. In the traditional way group, there were 28 patients, 25 male patients and 3 female patients, whose age averaged 59.17±11.33 years (37 to 86 years). In these patients, 22 had esophageal carcinoma with 1 in the upper esophagus, 17 in the middle esophagus, 4 in the lower esophagus; and 6 patients had cardial carcinoma. In this group, 2 patients were treated with anastomosis in the left neck , 17 with anastomosis in the upper aortic arch, 3 with anastomosis in the lower aortic arch, and 6 cardial carcinoma patients underwent radical resection. The rate of anastomotic leakage, operation time, and length of stay in hospital of these two groups were observed. Results All surgeries in the two groups were successfully performed. There was no anastomotic leakage case in the gastric tube group, while there were 4 pulmonary infection cases and 1 death case in the traditional way group. There was no statistically difference in the operation time (180.00±10.34 min vs. 185.00±6.23 min, t=1.669, P=0.078) and length of stay in hospital (16.78±9.98 d vs. 16.89±11.53 d, t=1.665, P=0.075) between the gastric tube group and the traditional way group. Conclusion Gastric tube has a good value in clinical application with fewercomplications and without prolonging operation and hospitalization time, which can surely better quality of life of the patients.
ObjectiveTo compare clinical outcomes between triluminal-tube feeding combined with tubular stomach and traditional esophagectomy for the treatment of esophageal carcinoma (EC)in elderly patients. MethodsA total of 196 elderly patients (>60 years)with EC who received esophagectomy in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Mianyang Central Hospital from January 2007 to January 2013 were enrolled in this study. According to different surgical methods, all the patients were divided into triluminal-tube feeding combined with tubular stomach group (group A)and traditional esophagectomy group (group B). There were 96 patients including 51 males and 45 females in group A with their age of 60-81 (66.21±7.32)years, and 100 patients including 54 males and 46 females in group B with their age of 60-82 (65.43±6.37)years. Clinical indexes were compared between the 2 groups. ResultsRadical esophagectomy was successfully performed for all the patients. There was no statistical difference in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative incidence of chylothorax, recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stricture or mortality between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). Time to first passage of flatus and postoperative length of hospital stay of group A were significantly shorter than those of group B, and the incidences of postoperative arrhythmias, pulmonary complications and thoracic-stomach syndrome of group A were significantly lower than those of group B (P < 0.05). ConclusionTriluminal-tube feeding combined with tubular stomach can significantly reduce postoperative morbidity, shorten hospital stay and improve quality of life of elderly patients undergoing esophagectomy.
ObjectiveTo explore clinical outcomes of complete mechanical cervical side-to-side esophago-gastric tube anastomosis. MethodsClinical data of 60 patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC)who underwent complete mechanical cervical side-to-side esophago-gastric tube anastomosis in the 153rd Central Hospital of People's Liberation Army from June 2010 to June 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 41 male and 19 female patients with their age of 46-78 (64.2±6.4)years and body weight of 58.6±12.6 kg. There were 39 patients with mid-thoracic EC, 15 patients with lower-thoracic EC, and 6 patients with upper-thoracic EC. There was 1 patient with stageⅠ EC, 32 patients with stage Ⅱ EC, 23 patients with stage Ⅲ EC, and 4 patients with stage Ⅳ EC. Six to 12 months after the operation, all the patients received a survey questionnaire regarding their quantity and quality of food intake as well as gastroesophageal reflux (GER). Fifty-two patients received barium swallow, and 38 patients received gastroscopy and esophageal mucosal biopsy during follow-up. ResultsAll the 60 patients were successfully discharged. Average length of hospital stay was 12.0±2.6 days. Average time for anastomosis was 18.4±3.2 minutes. The incidence of anastomotic leak was 1.7% (1/60). During follow-up, all the 60 patients restored normal food intake, and 14 patients (23.3%)had GER symptoms. Barium swallow showed the average anastomotic diameter of 1.6±0.2 cm (range, 1.2 to 2.2 cm). In 45° trendelenburg position, 31 patients (59.6%)had barium GER, but none of the patients had prolonged barium retention, intrathoracic gastric dilation or disturbed gastric emptying. Gastroscopy of 38 patients showed full anastomotic opening in 24 patients (63.2%)and irregular or semiclosed anastomosis in the other 14 patients (36.8%). Mucosal biopsy under gastroscopy showed chronic inflammation in 18.4% (7/38)patients. ConclusionComplete mechanical cervical side-to-side esophago-gastric tube anastomosis can significantly prevent anastomotic stenosis, leak and intrathoracic stomach symptoms with good clinical outcomes.
ObjectiveTo investigate the application value of modified gastric tube in surgery for mid- and lowerthoracic esophageal cancer compared with gastric tube. MethodsA total of 221 patients with mid- and lower-thoracic esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy between October 2009 and June 2013 in our hospital were recruited in the study. They were randomly divided into a modified gastric tube group (n=108) and a gastric tube group (n=113). There were 67 males and 41 females at age of 63.50±6.75 years (ranged 47-73 years) in the modified gastric tube group, including 62 cases of middle esophageal cancer and 46 cases of lower esophageal cancer. There were 69 males and 44 females at age of 63.38±7.21 years (ranged 49 to 76 years) in the gastric tube group, including 68 cases of middle esophageal cancer and 45 cases of lower esophageal cancer. The results of surgery and morbidities were recorded. The respiratory functions were recorded at 3 days before surgery, 1 week and 4 weeks after surgery, respectively. ResultsAll surgeries were successfully performed in two groups. There was 1 case of death and 1 case of anastomotic leakage in the gastric tube group. There was no death or anastomotic leakage occurred in the modified gastric tube group. There was statistical difference in the operation time between the modified gastric tube group and the gastric tube group (150.65±11.88 min vs. 174.58±11.99 min, P<0.05). There were no statistical differences in the amount of bleeding during operation or the length of hospital stay between two groups (P>0.05). There were no statistical differences in respiratory function between two groups at 1 week or 4 weeks after surgery (P>0.05). ConclusionFor patients with mid- and lower-thoracic esophageal cancer, modified gastric tube has a good clinical application value compared with gastric tube. It is easy and safe, and can decrease the operation time without aggravation of pulmonary function after operation. It is a better esophagus reconstruction method in esophagectomy for mid- and lower-thoracic esophageal cancer in primary hospitals.
Using gastric tube to replace the esophagus has been widely used in esophagectomy. This surgical method is gradually replacing the traditional stomach reconstruction. Its advantages in the incidence of postoperative complication, the quality of life and the long-time survival in clinic have proved to be true. Although using tubular stomach in esophagectomy has become the consensus of experts, some details still need some further discussing and this technique should be gradually improved in future. In this review, the superiority and the technical progress of gastric tube are introduced, and we predict the future of tubular stomach and discuss the existed problems.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the complications and quality of life (QoL) in patients with esophageal cancer after esophagectomy using gastric tube. MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the postoperative complications and QoL of patients using gastric tube and the whole stomach reconstruction were electronically searched in PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Knowledge, CBM, CNKI, VIP and WanFang Data from inception to September 30th, 2013. Two reviewers independently screened literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality. Then meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.2 software. ResultsA total of 10 RCTs involving 1 085 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, in terms of postoperative complications, the incidences of reflux esophagitis (OR=0.19, 95%CI 0.12 to 0.32, P < 0.000 01) and intrathoracic stomach syndrome (OR=0.11, 95%CI 0.04 to 0.32, P < 0.000 1) with gastric tube were significantly lower than those of the whole stomach; in terms of QoL, the scores of QoL in the 6th month (MD=18.71, 95%CI 7.72 to 29.71, P=0.000 9) and in the 12th month (MD=22.95, 95%CI 8.21 to 37.69, P=0.002) with gastric tube were significantly higher than those of the whole stomach. In terms of satisfaction degree of QoL, the satisfaction degree of QoL in the 6th month (OR=1.78, 95%CI 1.10 to 2.88, P=0.02) and the 12th month (OR=2.73, 95%CI 1.67 to 4.47, P < 0.000 1) with gastric tube were both significantly higher than those of the whole stomach. ConclusionCompared with the whole stomach reconstruction, the method of gastric tube reconstruction has beneficial effects in reducing the incidences of postoperative complications (such as reflux esophagitis, intrathoracic stomach syndrome) and improves patients' QoL. But there are many uncertain factors about postoperative anastomotic complication and its influence on patients' long-term QoL remains uncertain. Thus, further studies should be conducted.