Nasogastric placement of sump tube through the leak for the treatment of esophagogastric anastomotic leak after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
We seek to retrospectively analyze the nasogastric placement of sump tube through the leak for the treatment of intra-thoracic esophagastric anastomotic leak after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma.


METHODS
Esophagectomy with intrathoracic esophagogastric anastomotic procedures were performed in 2954 patients who suffered from esophageal carcinoma in our hospital between May 2004 and July 2008. Anastomotic leak had developed in 38 patients, of whom four patients were treated by reoperations. Stent insertion, the traditional "three-tube method" and the nasogastric placement of sump tube through the leak were applied in two, seven, and 25 patients, respectively.


RESULTS
The presence of anastomotic leak was proven by radiographic contrast examinations in 38 patients (1.3%). Among them, four received reoperations and recovered. Two patients were treated with the placement of self-expanding metallic coated stents and both died 10 and 13 d after placement due to uncontrollable hematemesis. Seven and 25 patients were managed by the traditional "three-tube method" and the nasogastric placement of sump tube through the leak, respectively. The mean time interval of the leak treatment was 42 d in the traditional "three-tube method" group and 31.2 d in the nasogastric placement of sump tube through the leak group, and the relatively average hospital mortality rates were 14.3% and 12%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The nasogastric placement of sump tube through the leak appears to be an effective, technically feasible, and minimally invasive option for the treatment of intrathoracic esophagogastric anastomotic leak.
Jiang
Feng
F
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital of Jiangsu Province, Cancer Institution of Jiangsu Province.
Yu
Ming Feng
MF
Ren
Bin Hui
BH
Yin
Guo Weng
GW
Zhang
Qin
Q
Xu
Lin
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome