Objective To evaluate preventive effectiveness of pocket esophagogastric anastomosis for postoperativeanastomotic leak，stricture and gastroesophageal reflux disease （GERD），and investigate clinical significance of Montreal definition and classification of GERD after esophageal reconstruction. Methods Clinical data of 1 078 patients whoreceived 2 different surgical procedures for resection of esophageal or cardiac carcinoma from June 2007 to June 2011 in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. In the experimental group，there were 582 patients who received pocketesophagogastric anastomosis，including 403 male and 179 female patients with their age of 60.4±12.6 years. There were 399 patients with esophageal carcinoma and 183 patients with cardiac carcinoma，392 patients receiving esophagogastrostomyabove the aortic arch and 190 patients receiving esophagogastrostomy below the aortic arch respectively. In the control group，there were 496 patients who received conventional end-to-side esophagogastric anastomosis，including 343 male and 153 female patients with their age of 59.2±12.8 years. There were 322 patients with esophageal carcinoma and 174 patients with cardiac carcinoma，317 patients receiving esophagogastrostomy above the aortic arch and 179 patients receivingesophagogastrostomy below the aortic arch respectively. A survey questionnaire was made on the basis of relevant diagnosticstandards to investigate the incidence of postoperative anastomotic stricture and GERD of the 2 groups during follow-up.Results The incidence of postoperative anastomotic leak of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group ［0% （0/582）versus 1.0% （5/496），χ2=5.835，P=0.016］. Patients in the experimental group had less severeGERD symptoms，and the percentage of patients who needed antacid therapy for extraesophageal symptoms of GERD ofthe experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group ［1.6% （33/541） versus 12.6% （57/453），χ2=23.564，P=0.000］. The incidence of anastomotic stricture of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of thecontrol group ［0.9% （5/539） versus 7.3% （34/465），χ2=25.124，P=0.000］，and especially，the incidence of severe anastomoticstricture of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group ［0% （0/539） versus 4.7% （22/465），χ2=24.883，P=0.000］. There was no statistical difference in five-year survival rate. Conclusion Pocket esophagogastric anastomosis is better than conventional end-to-side esophagogastric anastomosis for the prevention of postoperative anastomoticleak，stricture and GERD. Montreal definition and classification of GERD is suitable for the diagnosis of postoperativeGERD after esophageal reconstruction.
Objective To investigate the effect on motility function of remnant esophagus and intrathoracic stomach after esophagectomy for esophageal and cardiac carcinoma. Methods Thirty nine patients with esophageal and cardiac carcinoma were divided into two groups according to surgical procedure. Group of anastomosis above aortic arch （n = 21）： esophagogastrostomy was performed above the aortic arch in patients with esophageal carcinoma of the middle third; group of anastomosis below aortic arch（n= 18）： esophagogastrostomy was performed below the aortic arch in patients with esophageal carcinoma of the low third and cardiac carcinoma. Six health volunteers without gastroesophageal reflux were recruited as control group. Esophageal manometry and upper alimentary tract roentgenography were performed in all patients. Results There was a high pressure zone at the anastomotic orifice in parts of patients of both anastomosis groups. The resting pressure of remnant esophagus was higher than that in control group （P〈0. 05）, and similar to the resting pressure of intrathoracic stomach （P〉0. 05）. There was no significant difference in resting pressure of remnant esophagus and intrathoracic stomach between two anastomosis groups （P〉0.05）. The amplitude and number of primary peristalsis in remnant esophagus of group of anastomosis above aortic arch were significantly reduced in comparison with control group. The number of primary peristalsis in remnant esophagus of group of anastomosis above aortic arch was significantly lower than that of group of anastomosis below aortic arch （P〈0. 05）. The motility in the body of intrathoracic stomach was not observed. Weak motor activity of the gastric antrum was observed with upper alimentary tract roentgenography after surgery and evidently recovered 1 year after surgery. Conclusions The resting pressure of remnant esophagus and intrathoracic stomach is not influenced by the site of anastomosis. Esophagogastric anastomosis at the upper thorax is likely to result in poor motility of remnant esophagus. The motor activity of intrathoracic stomach becomes weak after esophagectomy and then recovers gradually over time, hut still fail to return to normal level.
Objective To summarize the clinical application of esophagogastrostomy with layered anastomosis and to observe the healing quality of anastomotic stoma in animal experiments. Methods One thousand and twenty-four patients suffered from carcinoma of esophagus or carcinoma of gastric cardia had undergone esophagogastrostomy by layered anastomosis with absorbable suture. Twenty-four experimental dogs (adult male healthy hybrid dogs) were divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The former (experimental group) underwent the layered anastomosis, the diameter of esophagogastric stoma and the length and depth of stomal scar were measured under anesthesia in both groups on 5th,8th,14th,and 42th postoperative day, respectively. So were done the histological measurement, such as the count infiltrating inflammatory cells, the proliferation of blood capillary and other cells. And the cytokines related to wound healing (LsAB technique) such as epidermal growth factor(EGF), transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) were detected, either. Results One thousand and twenty-four patients had no anastomotic leakage. There were only 6 patients suffered from mild anastomotic stricture, and they got well after one dilatation. The results of the measurement of 24 experimental dogs revealed that, in the experimental group, the mucosa was in good connecting condition, had a soften anastomotic stoma and a thin scar. The counts of inflammatory cells and fibroblast showed more in number at the early time after operation (Plt;0.05), while showed less in number at the advanced time of operation (Plt;0.05). In the control group, however, the mucosa were in a bad connecting condition, the scar was thicker, and the muscle layer was frequently exposed. The counts of inflammatory cells and fibroblast were fewer at the early time after operation, however, they had a clearly tendency of increasing at the anaphase after the operation. On the cytokines related to the healing of wound in the experimental group, there was a high expression and activity at the early period. There were a little expression up to postoperative 42 d. Whereas, in the control group, there had a low expression level,increased clearly on postoperative 8 d, and still a higher expression up to postoperative 42 d. Conclusions The esophagogastrostomy by layered anastomosis has a high healing quality with a thin scar. The proliferation of cells and the expression of growth factors benefits the normal healing of wound by first intention.
Objective To assess the effectiveness and safety of hand-suture vs. stapling anastomosis in esophagogastrostomy. Methods The following databases such as CBM (1978 to February 2012), VIP (1989 to February 2012), CNKI (1994 to February 2012), WanFang Data (1980 to February 2012), The Cochrane Library, PubMed (1966 to February 2012), EMbase (1974 to February 2012), and relevant webs of clinical trials were searched to collect the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs about hand-suture vs. stapling anastomosis in the incidence of anastomotic leakage following esophagogastrostomy. Moreover, relevant references and grey literature were retrieved on web engines including Google Scholar and Medical Martix, and the Chinese periodicals e.g. Chinese Journal of Oncology were also handsearched. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the literature, was screened, the data were extracted, and the quality of the included studies was assessed. Then meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.0 software. Results A total of 9 RCTs involving 2 202 patients were included. The result of meta-analysis was as follows: the incidence of anastomotic leakage in the stapling anastomosis group was lower than that in the hand-suture anastomosis group (OR=0.43, 95%CI 0.26 to 0.71, Plt;0.01). Conclusion Stapling anastomosis is superior to hand-suture anastomosis in reducing the incidence of anastomotic leakage following esophagogastrostomy. For the limited quality and quantity of the included studies, this conclusion has to be further proved by more high-quality studies.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the metastasis feature and the dissecting value of cervicothoracic lymph node for middle esophageal squamous carcinoma. MethodsA total of 303 patients admitted to the Rugao Boai Hospital(107 patients) and the Rugao People's Hospital (196 patients) received the stapled cervical esophagogastrostomy via different thoracic approach according to the admission order number between March 2005 and February 2013. There were 290 patients with Ro resections including 149 patients by Ivor-Lewis approach (an Ivor-Lewis group) and 141 patients by Sweet approach (a Sweet group). The data of lymph nodal dissection and PTNM stage and follow-up of the two groups were analyzed. ResultsThe number of positive lymph nodes dissected from the cervicothoracic junction in the IvorLewis group was significantly greater than that in own upper abdomen (Z=3.12, P<0.05) and that in the cervicothoracic junctionin in the Sweet group (Z=3.30, P<0.05). The lymph node metastasis rate of the cervicothoracic junction in the Ivor-Lewis group was significantly higher than that in own upper abdomen(χ2=10.76, P<0.05)and that in the cervicothoracic junction in the Sweet group (χ2=7.34, P<0.05). The lymph node ratio (LNR) of the cervicothoracic junction in the Ivor-Lewis group was significantly higher than that in own upper abdomen (χ2=11.67, P<0.05) and that in the cervicothoracic junction in the Sweet group (χ2=5.99, P<0.05). The proportion of patients which PTNM were Ⅲa or Ⅲb as N＞N1 in the Ivor-Lewis group was significantly higher than that in the Sweet group(χ2=5.59, P<0.05). After surgery of 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, the rate of lymph node local recurrence and the total rate of tumor metastasis or recurrence in the Ivor-Lewis group were significantly lower than in the Sweet group (P<0.05). The survival rate in the Ivor-Lewis group was significantly greater than that in the Sweet group (P<0.05). ConclusionThe cervicothoracic junction has a higher incidence of lymphatic metastasis, which transfer intensity is greater than that of upper abdomen. The extended cervicothoracic lymph node dissection should be indeed indispensible to increase of radical resection and the accuracy of PTNM stage and to improve the long term survival for middle esophageal carcinoma.