• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.115-118
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• 2009

A 65 year-old man, who underwent transthoracic esophagectomy for mid-thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, suffered from an incarcerated herniation of the transverse colon through a defect in the left mediastinal pleura. The patient had a gas collection in the left lower lung field and this then insidiously progressed; the final result was total collapse of the left lung and hemodynamic compromise. The life-threatening herniation of the transverse colon into the pleural cavity after pervious esophagectomy was corrected by emergency laparotomy. Postoperative pulmonary complications after esophagectomy can induce potentially lethal transhiatal herniation because of the danger of intestinal obstruction or strangulation. The optimal approach to transhiatal herniation after esophagectomy is prevention.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.773-778
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• 2002

Surgery remains the main stay in the treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus and the results of surgery for esophageal cancer have improved over the past 10 years. The ideal operation for cancer of the esophagus should have good palliation, low morbidity and mortality, and optimize both long-term function and survival. The two main approaches currently used for surgical treatment of esophageal cancer are: transthoracic esophagectomy (TTE) and transhiatal esorhagectomy(THE). The advantages of THE are low morbidity and mortality, short operating time, a short hospital stay and low interference with respiratory physiology The selection criteria for this procedure may differ but there are two situations which could clearly benefit from THE; these are epithelial and superficial submucosal lesions, particularly in cases of multiple lesions, and any resectable tumor at any stage with poor clinical status. I reviewed the selection criteria, surgical procedures, and results of THE in esophageal cancer with the literatures.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.473-483
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• 2019

Surgical therapy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction II requires distal esophagectomy, in which a transhiatal management of the lower esophagus is critical. The 'dorsal track control' (DTC) maneuver presented here facilitates the atraumatic handling of the distal esophagus, in preparation for a circular-stapled esophagojejunostomy. It is based on a ventral semicircular incision in the distal esophagus, with an intact dorsal wall for traction control of the esophagus. The maneuver facilitates the proper placement of the purse-string suture, up to its tying (around the anvil), thus minimizing the manipulation of the remaining esophagus. Furthermore, the dorsally-exposed inner wall surface of the ventrally-opened esophagus serves as a guiding chute that eases anvil insertion into the esophageal lumen. We performed this novel technique in 21 cases, enabling a safe anastomosis up to 10 cm proximal to the Z-line. No anastomotic insufficiency was observed. The DTC technique improves high transhiatal esophagojejunostomy.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.30-32
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• 2010

Tracheo-gastric fistula is a very rare late complication of total laryngopharyngoesophagectomy with gastric pull-up procedure. It usually occurs after transhiatal esophagectomy, but it has only rarely been reported after total laryngopharyngoesophagectomy with gastric pull-up procedure. Chronic irritation and gastric ulcer may be the cause of tracheogastric fistula. To prevent fistula formation, active management of gastric ulcer and avoidance of mucosal irritation are necessary. We report a case of a tracheogastric fistula which occurred two years after total laryngopharyngoesophagectomy with gastric pull-up procedure that maybe occurred by chronic irritation and gastric ulcer.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.807-813
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• 1991

Between October 1987 and October 1990, 6 patients underwent pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy with transhiatal gastric transposition and pharyngogastrostomy for hypopharyngeal and recurred laryngeal cancer. All patients had squamous cell carcinoma and were male, with age range from 54 to 67 years. Two patients had been treated initially by chemotherapy, but the tumor had persisted. One patient had been treated by radiotherapy and operation, but tumor had recurred in hypopharynx. There was no operative death. Major complications were anastomotic leakage in three cases, wound disruption in four cases and one postoperative bleeding. Anastomotic leakage was recovered in two cases with conservative management. The average hospital day was 33 days postoperatively. We conclude that reconstruction of the pharynx and cervical esophagus with gastric transposition is one of the recommendable procedures for extensive resection of pharynx or cervical esophagus with acceptable morbidity and functional recovery.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1060-1065
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• 1994

For most surgeons, stomach and colon are the first choice for reconstruction of the esophagus, as well as for bypass. When the esophagogastric or esophagocolonic anastomosis is made in the neck, cervical anastomosis site leakage is the main complication. In our most recent four patients who underwent a transhiatal & posterior mediastinal esophagogastric or esophagocolonic anastomoses following esophageal resection, we performed the cervical anastomoses with a circular EEA stapler. No leaks have developed at the anastomosis site. In these four patients the cancer was tiny and was located on the upper or middle third of the thoracic esophagus. A total esophagectomy was performed by blunt resection without thoracotomy. Surgical staplers have been used previously for esophagogastric anastomosis through a right thoracotomy with a very low rate of leakage. When the esophagogastric or esophagocolonic anastomosis is performed in the neck, the prevalence of leakage does not increase the postoperative mortality, but it can increase significantly the duration of hospitalization and morbidity. The use of the circular stapler allowed us to perform four consecutive cervical esophagogastric & esophagocolonic anastomoses without any leakage and to shorten the operating time.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 1988

A transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy and esophageal reconstruction with gastric transponsition was performed in a recurrent laryngeal carcinoma spread to cervical esophagus. There were several benefits to performing this method: 1) It could be performed in one stage, took shorter operating time, and provided safe and efficient palliation in the patient with esophageal carcinoma. 2) The possible maximum surgical margin was obtained and the incidence of suture line tumor recurrence was minimized. 3) Postoperative death from anastomotic disruption and secondary mediastinitis and sepsis were virtually eliminated. 4) Clinically significant gastroesophageal reflux rarely occured.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.296-302
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• 2002

The classic approach for esophagectomy is via the combined thoracic and abdominal approach. Controversy exists whether patients with esophageal carcinoma are best managed with Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy(ILO) as combined thoracic and abdominal approach or transhiatal esophagectomy(THO). The THO approach is known to be superior with respect to operative time, severity of leak, morbidity/mortality, and length of stay, but may represent an inferior cancer operation as a result of survival disadvantage due to inadequate mediastinal clearance compared with ILO. Accordingly, we reviewed the results of our esophageal resections to compare these outcome parameters for each operative approach. Material and Method: From January 1993 to July 2001, We performed a retrospective review of all esophagectomies performed at Keimyung University Dongsan ·Medical Center; 27 underwent THO, and 45 underwent ILO Result: The two groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, and stage of the disease. Mean tumor length and mean operative time were 3.81cm and 354 minutes for THO versus 5.31cm and 453 minutes for ILO, respectively (p<0.01 and p<0.001). Respiratory complications were 11.1% for THO versus 35.6% for ILO(p<0.05). Hospital mortality was 11.1% for THO versus 22.2% for ILO. There were no significant differences between THO and ILO with respect to other types of complications, amount of blood transfusion, leak and stricture rates, and hospital stay. Overall long-term survival at 5 years was 37%, respectively. Conclustion: There was no significant difference in long-term survival of patients of both operative approach. ILO had significant difference in respiratory complications associated with hospital mortality. Hence, THO is a valid alternative to ILO for well selected patients. And either approach appears to be acceptable depending on the surgeons, preferences and experiences.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2005

Purpose: The debate is still on-going as to whether a transthoracic esophagectomy (TTE) or a transhiatal esophagectomy(THE) is the proper treatment for patients with cardia and esophageal cancers. This study tries to demonstrate and assess the efficacy and the validity of both surgeries. Materials and Methods: In a retrospective study, data from 52 cases of patients with esophageal and/or cardia cancer who received a surgical operation during the last decade were analyzed. Results: A TTE was done in 20 cases and a THE in 32 cases. The average times for the operations were 558.0 min for a TTE and 451.7 min for a THE (P>0.05). The estimated blood loss was 1,825.0 ml in a TTE and 1459.4 ml in a THE (P>0.05). The amounts of transfusion during the operations were 3.9 units in a TTE and 2.6 units in a THE (P<0.05). Post-operative complications occurred in 15 cases of TTE and 23 cases of THE. The average length of stay in the hospital was 25.6 days for a TTE and 20.6 days for a THE. The 5-year survival rate was $10\%$ for TTE patients and $28\%$ for THE patients (P>0.05). Conclusion: For most factors, including morbidity and mortality, there was no statistically significant difference between a TTE and a THE. However, a THE is expected to be more convenient, leading to a shorter operative duration, a shorter post-operative hospitalization and lesser amounts of hemorrhage and transfusion. Hence, the THE may be a more valid or efficient surgical method for those patients with cardia and esophagus cancer who require a resection of the esophagus. (J Korean Gastric Cancer Assoc 2005;5:1-9)

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.398-405
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• 1992

Twenty nine adult patients underwent surgical esohpagectomy and one, bypass procedure for documented carcinoma of esophagus and cadiac portion of stomach at Chonnam National University Hospital from Jan 1986 to April 1991. There were several kinds of esophagectomies including through transhiatal, left thoracotomy only, laparotomy and thoracotomy, and laparotomy and right thoracotomy and cervical incision. Twenty five and squamous cell carcinoma and 5, adenocarcinoma. The tumor locations were the upper third in 3, middle third in 12, lower third in 10 and cardiac portion of stomach in 5. After operation, 8[27%] patients were classified in Stage IIa, 6[20%] patients in Stage IIb, 15 patients[50%] in Stage III and one patient in Stage IV. Major postoperative complications included anastomotic narrowing in 3, limited suture line leak in 2, wound infection in 2, hoarseness in 2, pseudomembraneous enterocolitis in 1 and herpes zoster in 1. There was no death within 30 days of operation. Ten months survival was 100% for patients with Stage lIa, 67% for patients with Stage IIb, 50% for patients with Stage III. Furthermore, 20 months survival was 75% in IIIa, 33% in IIb, and 40% in III. But there were no significant differences in survivals among the stage. The actuarial survival is 58% at one year and 41% at two years, The periods of average survival is 589 days after operation.