title: Relationship of venous blood gas with cervical esophagogastric anastomotic leak.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  this study investigated the relationship between various parameters of venous blood gas analysis of gastric fundus veins and cervical esophagogastric anastomotic leaks after transhiatal esophagectomy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  decreased tissue perfusion is one of the causes of anastomotic leak. There are various methods used to assess gastric conduit perfusion, with different results, and we lack a reliable method.
  
  
  METHODS
  this descriptive study, performed from March 2008 to October 2010, consisted of 45 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent transhiatal esophagectomy. After gastrolysis, blood samples were taken from a gastric fundus vein and submitted for venous blood gas analysis. The cervical wounds were examined 5 days postoperatively. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on the presence of leakage, and mean values of the venous blood gas analysis were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  we observed significant differences in mean pH, PCO(2), and O(2) saturation between the 2 groups (p = 0.04, p = 0.03, and p = 0.04, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  venous blood gas analysis of gastric fundus veins appears to be a feasible and fast method for intraoperative assessment of microperfusion in the gastric fundus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholamraza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mohajeri
authors.forename: Abas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tabatabaei
authors.forename: Mozafar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.forename: Mohammad Moazeni
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bistgani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005260:Female; D005748:Gastric Fundus / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014680:Veins
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen