title: Partial esophagogastrostomy with esophagogastric anastomosis below the aortic arch in cardiac carcinoma: characteristics and treatment of postoperative anastomotic leakage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anastomotic leakage is a severe and common complication for surgeries of cardiac cancer. Here we explore the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment strategies of anastomotic leakage in cardiac carcinoma patients after esophagogastric anastomosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2009 to December 2013, 1,196 patients with cardiac carcinoma underwent esophagectomy and esophagogastric anastomosis in Cancer Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Of them, 25 patients developed symptomatic anastomotic leakage. Their clinical data were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among these 25 patients with anastomotic leakage, three died after active treatment and fifteen healed with thoracic drainage time 18-115 days. The left seven patients who did not heal until discharge developed chronic infection sinus of anastomotic leakage. Without infection symptoms, they were discharged 30-100 days after surgery with nasoenteral tube and thoracic drainage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anastomotic leakage in cardiac carcinoma patients after esophagogastric anastomosis can be classified into five subtypes: occult type, left thoracic type, right thoracic type, mediastinal type, and mixd type. Subtyping of anastomotic leakage is useful and convenient for diagnosis and treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100021, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100021, China.
authors.forename: Feiyue
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100021, China.
authors.forename: Shugeng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
keywords: Cardiac carcinoma; anastomotic leakage; esophagogastric anastomosis