title: Mediastinal drainage prevents fatal pyothorax from anastomotic leakage after intrathoracic anastomosis in reconstruction for carcinoma of the esophagus.
abstract: In our experience, anastomotic leakage occurred in five of 69 patients with intrathoracic anastomosis after resection of carcinoma of the esophagus. In the early period, only an ordinary right thoracic drain was put in place, and when leakage occurred, two patients died because of pyothorax, while one patient was saved by surgical drainage. However, in the recent period, in addition to the ordinary right thoracic drain, another drain has also been placed just distal to the anastomosis through the esophageal hiatus through the abdominal cavity, exiting the abdominal wall. After such procedure, drainage has been adequate without any occurrence of pyothorax, even when anastomotic leakage occurred, as in the two most recent instances. Therefore, unless drainage is inadequate and surgical drainage is indicated, as in instances of necrosis of substitutes, mediastinoabdominal drainage seems to be effective in the treatment of intrathoracic anastomotic leakage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery II, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuwano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsushima
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikebe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toh
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimachi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D015505:Chest Tubes; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods*; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008482:Mediastinum; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*