Esophagectomy and substitution of the thoracic esophagus in dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a technique to remove the thoracic esophagus without thoracotomy and two methods for thoracic esophageal replacement in dogs.


METHODS
27 ex-vivo dogs were divided into three groups in order to evaluate: G1 - total thoracic esophagectomy by the everting stripping method; G2 - total thoracic esophagectomy and esophageal substitution using the whole stomach; G3 - total thoracic esophagectomy and esophageal substitution using fundus rotation gastroplasty. After esophageal resection in G1, the integrity of the intrathoracic route was evaluated by endoscopy and tested with 1% methylene blue solution.


RESULTS
Visceral pleural rupture was observed in all animals. However, this intrathoracic route made it possible to bring both esophagus substitutes (G2 and G3) to be anastomosed to the cut end of the cervical esophagus.


CONCLUSIONS
Thoracic esophageal substitution using the whole stomach showed less anastomotic tension and was less technically demanding than the fundus rotation gastroplasty method. The ex-vivo results support further studies to validate the techniques in clinical cases.
Santos
Carlos Eduardo Meirelles dos
CE
Department of Veterinary Surgery and Anesthesiology, School of Veterinary Medicine of Botucatu, UNESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Rahal
Sheila Canevese
SC
Damasceno
Débora Cristina
DC
Hossne
Rogério Saad
RS
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000601:surgery; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D013270:Stomach / Q000098:blood supply