Subtotal esophagectomy and concurrent reconstruction with free jejunal flap for primary esophageal cancer after pancreatoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

Pancreatoduodenectomy and subtotal esophagectomy are widely considered the most invasive and difficult surgical procedures in gastrointestinal surgery. Subtotal esophagectomy after pancreatoduodenectomy is expected to be extremely difficult due to complicated anatomical changes, and selecting an appropriate intestinal reconstruction method will also be a difficult task. Therefore, perhaps because the method is considered impossible, there have been few reports of subtotal esophagectomy after pancreatoduodenectomy.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 73-year-old man with a history of pancreatoduodenectomy was diagnosed with superficial thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Definitive chemoradiation therapy was recommended at another hospital; however, he visited our department to undergo surgery. We performed the robot-assisted thoracoscopic subtotal esophagectomy. There were some difficulties with the reconstruction: the gastric tube could not be used, the reconstruction was long, and the organs reconstructed in the previous surgery had to be preserved. However, the concurrent reconstruction was achieved with the help of a free jejunal flap and vascular reconstruction. All reconstructions from the previous surgery, including the remnant stomach, were preserved via regional abdominal lymph node dissection. After reconstruction, intravenous indocyanine green showed that circulation in the reconstructed intestines was preserved. On postoperative day 1, no recurrent nerve paralysis was observed during laryngoscopy. The patient could start oral intake smoothly 2 weeks after surgery and did not exhibit any postoperative complications related to the reconstruction. The patient was transferred to another hospital on postoperative day 21.

CONCLUSIONS

Owing to the free jejunal flap interposition method, we safely performed one stage subtotal esophagectomy and concurrent reconstruction, preservation of the remnant stomach, and pancreaticobiliary reconstruction in patients with a history of pancreatoduodenectomy. We believe that this method is acceptable and useful for patients undergoing complicated reconstruction.

Surgical repair for a parahiatal hernia with an esophageal hiatal hernia: A case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

A parahiatal hernia (PH) is a rare diaphragmatic hernia (DH) adjacent to but separated from the esophageal hiatus. The surgical repair for PH needs primary suture closure or complicated hernioplasty and the addition of an anti-reflux procedure. This report describes a case of PH with a symptomatic esophageal hiatal hernia managed using three-dimensional (3D) laparoscopy.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 65-year-old woman with back pain and breathlessness was referred to our hospital for a DH. Computed tomography showed a diaphragmatic defect on the left side of the esophageal hiatus. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and 24-hour esophageal impedance-pH monitoring showed a symptomatic esophageal hiatal hernia. Laparoscopic repair for both hernias was performed using 3D laparoscopy. The DH orifice was located in the left crus of the diaphragm, and it was separated from the esophageal hiatus. These findings showed that this DH was a PH. The PH was repaired with primary suturing, and a hiatoplasty was performed. Toupet fundoplication was performed with a 270° posterior wrap of the gastric fornix. The patient has remained asymptomatic a year after surgery without any complications.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

3D laparoscopy provides significant advantages in surgeries requiring precise suturing. PH repairs require complex procedures, including mesh repair or suturing. Approximately 44 % of PH cases also necessitate fundoplication. 3D laparoscopy was useful for the present case.

CONCLUSIONS

A rare PH and a symptomatic type 1 hiatal hernia were repaired with 3D laparoscopy, which is helpful for PH treatment in cases requiring complicated procedures.

Practical use of the central venous access port for contrast-enhanced CT: comparison with peripheral intravenous access regarding enhancement and safety

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy of using the central venous (CV) port compared with peripheral intravenous access for contrast-material injection for contrast enhancement during the portal venous phase.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients were divided into three groups: CV delay, CV routine, and peripheral access (PA) groups. Patients in the CV delay group underwent injection in the arm-down position with an additional delay, while those in the CV routine and PA groups underwent injections with the routine injection protocol for portal venous phase imaging. Contrast enhancement was evaluated by measuring the mean radiodensity (Hounsfield units) values for the aortic arch, abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, portal vein, and spleen. The peak injection pressure was recorded and compared among the three groups.

RESULTS

No complications related to power injection were observed during 119 contrast-material injections performed using the CV port device. The CV delay group showed significantly lower radiodensity values than the PA group (165.7 ± 20.1 versus 181 ± 19 HU [p<0.01] for the portal vein); however, no significant differences in mean radiodensity values were observed between the CV routine and PA groups (p>0.05). The median peak injection pressure was 73.5, 67, and 47 psi in the CV delay, CV routine, and PA groups, respectively (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

The CV port can be used for safe contrast-material injection while maintaining contrast enhancement on portal venous phase comparable to that achieved with peripheral intravenous access.

PD-L1-expressing cancer-associated fibroblasts induce tumor immunosuppression and contribute to poor clinical outcome in esophageal cancer

The programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis plays a crucial role in tumor immunosuppression, while the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have various tumor-promoting functions. To determine the advantage of immunotherapy, the relationship between the cancer cells and the CAFs was evaluated in terms of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. Overall, 140 cases of esophageal cancer underwent an immunohistochemical analysis of the PD-L1 expression and its association with the expression of the α smooth muscle actin, fibroblast activation protein, CD8, and forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) positive cells. The relationship between the cancer cells and the CAFs was evaluated in vitro, and the effect of the anti-PD-L1 antibody was evaluated using a syngeneic mouse model. A survival analysis showed that the PD-L1+ CAF group had worse survival than the PD-L1- group. In vitro and in vivo, direct interaction between the cancer cells and the CAFs showed a mutually upregulated PD-L1 expression. In vivo, the anti-PD-L1 antibody increased the number of dead CAFs and cancer cells, resulting in increased CD8+ T cells and decreased FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. We demonstrated that the PD-L1-expressing CAFs lead to poor outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer. The cancer cells and the CAFs mutually enhanced the PD-L1 expression and induced tumor immunosuppression. Therefore, the PD-L1-expressing CAFs may be good targets for cancer therapy, inhibiting tumor progression and improving host tumor immunity.

Adenocarcinoma arising from widespread heterotopic gastric mucosa in the cervicothoracic esophagus: a case report

BACKGROUND

In Japan, about 6% of esophageal cancers are adenocarcinomas, although most of them arise from Barrett's epithelium. Adenocarcinoma arising from heterotopic gastric mucosa (HGM) is very rare. Due to its rarity, there is no unified view on its treatment strategy and prognosis.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 57-year-old man presented with a protruding lesion in the cervicothoracic esophagus that was detected by an upper gastrointestinal series at a medical checkup. Esophagoscopy revealed a 30 mm Type 1 tumor circumferentially surrounded by widespread HGM. Computed tomography (CT) and fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT showed no metastasis or invasion of the surrounding organs. We diagnosed the lesion as cT2N0M0 cStageIIB [Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) 8th Ed] cancer and performed subtotal esophagectomy with three-field lymph node dissection. The tumor was determined to be a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma arising from HGM, with deep invasion of the submucosa. The patient underwent no adjuvant therapy and has currently survived without any evidence of recurrence for 15 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the treatment for adenocarcinoma arising from HGM is basically the same as that for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the esophagus, it is important to determine the treatment strategy based on the characteristics of the adenocarcinoma arising from HGM.

Safe and curative modified two-stage operation for T4 esophageal cancer after definitive chemoradiotherapy: a case report

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of esophageal cancer (EC) with organ invasion is extremely poor. In these cases, definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by salvage surgery can be planned; however, the issue of high morbidity and mortality rates persists. Herein, we report the long-term survival of a patient with EC and T4 invasion who underwent a modified two-stage operation after definitive CRT.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 60-year-old male presented with type 2 upper thoracic EC with tracheal invasion. First, definitive CRT was performed, which resulted in tumor shrinkage and improvement in the tracheal invasion. However, an esophagotracheal fistula subsequently developed, and the patient was treated with fasting and antibiotics. Although the fistula recovered, severe esophageal stenoses made oral intake impossible. To improve quality of life and cure the EC, a modified two-stage operation was planned. In the first surgery, an esophageal bypass was performed using a gastric tube with cervical and abdominal lymph node dissections. After confirming improved nutritional status and absence of distant metastasis, the second surgery was performed with subtotal esophagectomy, mediastinal lymph node dissection, and tracheobronchial coverage of the fistula. The patient discharged without major complications after radical resection and has been recurrence-free for 5 years since the start of treatment.

CONCLUSION

A standard curative strategy could be difficult for EC with T4 invasion due to differences in the invaded organs, presence of complications, and patient condition. Therefore, patient-tailored treatment plans are needed, including a modified two-stage operation.

Assessing the Role of Perioperative Nutritional Education in Improving Oral Intake after Oesophagectomy: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine whether nutritional education, from the preoperative to postoperative period, and nutritional management designed to improve nutritional status alone, could improve patients' health-related self-management and nutritional management skills during the postoperative period.

METHODS

We evaluated 101 hospitalised patients with oesophageal cancer who underwent surgery between 2015 and 2016 and received perioperative nutritional education (PERIO-N). The control group included 52 patients who underwent surgery between 2014 and 2015 and were supported only by normal interventions according to the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol. The PERIO-N group paid specific attention to nutrition risk screening, nutrition assessment, nutrition monitoring, and lifestyle education.

RESULTS

The patients in the PERIO-N group were 1.8 times more likely to be able to consume food orally than the control group (p=0.010). In the PERIO-N group, 50.5% of the patients could orally consume food, 42.6% received a combination of oral and enteral nutrition, and 6.9% only underwent enteral nutrition. In comparison, in the control group, 28.8% of the patients could orally consume food, 53.8% received a combination of oral and enteral nutrition, and 17.3% were only administered enteral nutrition (p=0.004). In addition, patients in the PERIO-N group were discharged at a 1.5 times higher rate than those in the control group (p=0.027). The readmission rate for malnutrition within 3 months was 4% in the PERIO group (5.4% for home discharge only) and 5.8% in the control group (10.5% for home discharge only) (p=0.61).

CONCLUSION

This study found that perioperative nutrition education in patients who underwent oesophageal cancer surgery led to increase in the amount of oral intake at discharge. Moreover, the group that received nutrition education did not have an increased probability of hospitalisation due to the risk of malnutrition within 3 months after discharge.

Outcomes of solitary postoperative recurrence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed with FDG-PET/CT and treated with definitive radiation therapy

BACKGROUND

Surgical resection of esophageal cancer is frequently performed to achieve a complete cure. However, the postoperative recurrence rate is 36.8-42.5%, leading to poor prognosis. Radiation therapy has been used to treat recurrences; solitary recurrence has been proposed as a prognostic factor for radiation therapy, though its significance is unclear. ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography is a highly accurate diagnostic modality for esophageal cancer. This retrospective study aimed to analyze the outcomes of solitary postoperative recurrences of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed with ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and treated with definitive radiation therapy.

METHODS

We examined 27 patients who underwent definitive radiation therapy for single or multiple postoperative recurrences of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma between May 2015 and April 2021. ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography was performed within 3 months before the commencement of radiation therapy. Kaplan-Meier, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the overall survival and identify potential prognostic factors.

RESULTS

The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates were 85.2%, 62.6%, and 47.3%, respectively, and solitary recurrence was the only significant factor associated with overall survival (P = 0.003). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival rates in patients with solitary recurrence were 91.7%, 80.2%, and 80.2%, respectively, and in patients with multiple recurrences they were 80.0%, 50.3%, and 25.1%, respectively. Multivariate analysis also showed solitary recurrence as a significant factor for overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

When diagnosed with ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography, solitary recurrence appears to have a more favorable prognosis than multiple recurrences.

Validity of the 30-Second Chair-Stand Test to Assess Exercise Tolerance and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Esophageal Cancer: A Retrospective Study with Reference to 6-Minute Walk Test Results

This retrospective study aimed to investigate the validity of a 30-sec chair stand test (CS-30) as a simple test to assess exercise tolerance and clinical outcomes in 53 Japanese patients with esophageal cancer. There was a strong correlation between the results of CS-30 and the 6-min walk test (6MWT), the gold standard for assessing exercise tolerance (r=0.759). Furthermore, fewer patients whose CS-30 score was greater than 16 (the cutoff value defined based on 6MWT) experienced pneumonia in their postoperative course. These results suggest that exercise tolerance could be assessed using CS-30, and its cutoff value may be useful in predicting postoperative pneumonia risk.

Overcoming cancer-associated fibroblast-induced immunosuppression by anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are a critical component of the tumor microenvironment and play a central role in tumor progression. Previously, we reported that CAFs might induce tumor immunosuppression via interleukin-6 (IL-6) and promote tumor progression by blocking local IL-6 in the tumor microenvironment with neutralizing antibody. Here, we explore whether an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody could be used as systemic therapy to treat cancer, and further investigate the mechanisms by which IL-6 induces tumor immunosuppression. In clinical samples, IL-6 expression was significantly correlated with α-smooth muscle actin expression, and high IL-6 cases showed tumor immunosuppression. Multivariate analysis showed that IL-6 expression was an independent prognostic factor. In vitro, IL-6 contributed to cell proliferation and differentiation into CAFs. Moreover, IL-6 increased hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) expression and induced tumor immunosuppression by enhancing glucose uptake by cancer cells and competing for glucose with immune cells. MR16-1, a rodent analog of anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, overcame CAF-induced immunosuppression and suppressed tumor progression in immunocompetent murine cancer models by regulating HIF1α activation in vivo. The anti-IL-6 receptor antibody could be systemically employed to overcome tumor immunosuppression and improve patient survival with various cancers. Furthermore, the tumor immunosuppression was suggested to be induced by IL-6 via HIF1α activation.

Effect of Patient-Participation Continuous Nutritional Counseling in Gastric Cancer Patients who Underwent Gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

Body weight loss (BWL) and skeletal muscle loss (SML) are inevitable after gastrectomy for gastric cancer (GC) and can decrease patients' quality of life (QOL) and survival.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effect of perioperative and post-discharge patient participation in continuous nutritional counseling (CNC) on post-gastrectomy BWL and SML.

METHODS

Ninety-three patients with GC who underwent curative gastrectomy between March 2018 and July 2019 were analyzed. Patients received either pre-discharge nutritional counseling alone (control group, n = 49) or patient-participation CNC (CNC group, n = 44) after gastrectomy. Differences between percentage BWL (%BWL), percentage SML (%SML), and nutrition-related blood parameters between the preoperative values and those at 12 months after surgery were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, %BWL was significantly lower in the CNC group at 1 month (-6.2 ± 2.5% vs. -7.9 ± 3.3%, p = 0.005), 6 months (-7.8 ± 6.6% vs. -12.3 ± 6.4%, p = 0.001) and 12 months (-7.9 ± 7.6% vs. -13.2 ± 8.2%, p = 0.002), and %SML was significantly lower in the CNC group at 12 months (-5.3 ± 10.3% vs. -12.8 ± 12%, p = 0.002). Regarding nutrition-related blood parameters, change in total cholesterol was significantly lower in the CNC group than the control group at 12 months after surgery (p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis identified no CNC as an independent risk factor for severe BWL (p = 0.001) and SML (p = 0.006) at 12 months after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Following gastrectomy, patient-participation CNC prevented postoperative BWL and SML after surgery. These results support the induction of such a CNC program in these patients.

Case of robot-assisted salvage surgery for esophageal cancer with a mediastinal fistula after definitive chemoradiotherapy

Salvage surgery for esophageal cancer after definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) is effective, but it is associated with a high rate of perioperative complications. The indications for robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) are expanding. However, there are few reports of salvage RAMIE. A 73-year-old man was referred to our hospital for residual esophageal cancer with a mediastinal fistula after dCRT. The perioperative diagnosis was T3N1M0-Stage III, and the salvage RAMIE was performed. Although the dissection was difficult due to fibrosis caused by dCRT and the esophageal mediastinal fistula, RAMIE was performed safely with no complications. Multiple features of RAMIE contributed to stable surgery. The monopolar dissection is effective for hard scar tissue caused by CRT and inflammation.

Verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus with complete response after chemoradiotherapy

Background

Verrucous carcinoma of the esophagus (VCE) is a rare tumor that is difficult to diagnose. In most cases, biopsies show nonspecific inflammatory and hyperkeratotic changes and do not show malignant findings. Most VCEs are slowly growing, locally advanced tumors with few metastases. Treatments for VCE are the same as for normal esophageal cancer, involving combined chemotherapy, surgical resection, and radiation therapy. However, it has been reported that VCE has a poor response to radiation or chemoradiotherapy (CRT). A case of VCE with complete response (CR) after CRT is presented.

Case presentation

A 70-year-old man was found to have white, irregular esophageal mucosa 4 years earlier. He had been followed up as an outpatient as having candidal esophagitis. However, his tumor grew gradually, and biopsy was performed by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR). He was finally diagnosed with VCE. He had no metastases to distant organs, but some lymph node metastases were suspected. The tumor invaded his left bronchus. The esophagostomy and gastrostomy were constructed as emergent procedures. The patient then underwent definitive CRT. 4 weeks after the end of CRT, two-stage esophagectomy was performed. First, he underwent esophagectomy with thoracic lymph node dissection. A latissimus dorsi flap was patched to the bronchus after primary suture of the hole. 6 weeks later, reconstruction of the gastric tube was performed through the antethoracic route. The pathological findings showed CR to CRT, with no proliferative cancer cells in the specimen. The patient has had no recurrence for three and half years after the resection.

Conclusions

We presented a locally advanced VCE that achieved CR to CRT. In cases that have some difficulty for local resection, CRT might be an appropriate treatment for VCE.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer comparing cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil versus docetaxel plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil: a propensity score matching analysis

BACKGROUND

The standard treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer is preoperative chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (CF), followed by surgery. Although docetaxel plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) has been reported to have favorable outcomes, no study has compared its therapeutic efficacy to that of standard treatment. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic effects of CF and DCF in the real world by matching patient background factors using propensity scores.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 237 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent esophagectomy between January 2008 and December 2018. Patients were divided into two groups based on the preoperative chemotherapy regimens of CF (79 patients) or DCF (158 patients), and 49 matched pairs were finally analyzed using propensity score matching. Short- and long-term outcomes were compared between groups.

RESULTS

After matching, although no significant differences in survival were observed among the groups, patients receiving DCF showed a significantly high histological response (P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that DCF therapy had better overall survival (P = 0.046) and relapse-free survival (P = 0.010) among pathological T3 and T4 cases. Whereas, adverse effects of chemotherapy were more frequent in the DCF group.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients receiving DCF had higher pathological response and better survival than those receiving CF, especially in pathological T3 and T4 cases matched using propensity scores. Thus, the DCF regimen might be an effective treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer. However, the adverse side effects of chemotherapy remain high and should be handled appropriately.

Impact of Amino Acids Nutrition Following Gastrectomy in Gastric Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND/AIM

Postoperative body weight loss (BWL) and skeletal muscle loss (SML) after gastrectomy are associated with a decline in quality of life and worse longterm prognosis in gastric cancer (GC) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of amino acids nutrition on BWL and SML in the early period following gastrectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The parameters of body composition were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis in the patients undergoing radical gastrectomy for GC and analyzed retrospectively. Patients received either peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) of 4.3% glucose fluid with regular diet (control group, n=43) or PPN of 7.5% glucose fluid containing amino acids plus oral nutritional supplement (ONS) rich in protein with regular diet (amino acids group, n=40) following gastrectomy. The percentages of BWL and SML from preoperative values to those at 7 days and 1 month after surgery were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The %BWL and %SML at 7 days after surgery were significantly lower in the amino acids group than those in the control group (%BWL, -2.4±1.7% vs. -4.2±1.8%; p<0.0001, %SML, -4.1±3.8 vs. -6.5±3.8; p=0.006). Moreover, the %BWL at 1 month after surgery was significantly lower in the amino acids group compared to that in the control group (- 4.6±2.9% vs. -6.1±2.6%; p=0.01); however, the %SML was similar between the two groups. The hematological nutritional parameters were similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Amino acids nutrition by PPN and ONS following gastrectomy prevented postoperative BWL and SML in the early period after surgery in GC patients.

Effectiveness of early exercise on reducing skeletal muscle loss during preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy for esophageal cancer

PURPOSE

To investigate if early exercise can help prevent skeletal muscle loss and improve the clinical outcomes of esophageal cancer patients receiving preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

METHODS

This was a single-center, retrospective observational cohort study of 110 patients with advanced esophageal cancer. We analyzed the effect of early exercise on the risk of skeletal muscle loss (defined as > 2.98%) during NAC and the subsequent clinical outcomes. Patients in the early exercise group (n = 71) started exercise therapy 8 days earlier than those the late exercise group (n = 39).

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 65.4 years, the mean BMI was 21.1 kg/m², and 92 (84%) of the 110 patients were men. Skeletal muscle loss occurred in 34% and 67% of the early and late exercise groups, respectively (p < 0.001). There was a lower risk of surgical site infection in the early exercise group (1% vs 16%, p = 0.021). Multivariate analysis revealed that early exercise reduced the risk of skeletal muscle loss (OR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.65, p = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that early exercise reduces the risk of both skeletal muscle loss during NAC and subsequent surgical site infection in patients with esophageal cancer.

Left Hemihepatectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Following Esophagectomy with Retrosternal Gastric Tube Reconstruction for Esophageal Cancer

Approximately 4% of patients with esophageal cancer develop a second primary malignancy in the upper gastrointestinal trunk. However, hepatectomy following esophagectomy for esophageal cancer has rarely been reported. We report the case of a 70-year-old man who underwent an esophagectomy for esophageal cancer with retrosternal gastric tube reconstruction. Nine years later, he developed hepatocellular carcinoma with tumor thrombus involving the left portal vein, and was successfully treated with left hemihepatectomy. Special attention should be paid to avoiding incidental injury of the gastric tube as well as the right gastroepiploic artery during the hepatectomy.

A case of esophageal cancer with an aberrant right subclavian artery treated with mediastinoscopic esophagectomy

An aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is one of the famous anatomical abnormalities with a prevalence of 0.16-4.4%. In esophagectomy, anatomical abnormalities of the ARSA could cause complications with some surgical procedures. An 85-year old man was referred to our department for esophageal adenocarcinoma that was at a slightly high position for esophagectomy with the abdominal approach. However, he had a significant past medical history. This risk factor made it difficult to perform thoracoscopic esophagectomy. He underwent mediastinoscopic esophagectomy (ME) with the left cervical and laparoscopic approach. The ARSA presented no difficulties with the ME surgical technique including the dissection of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve lymph node. Although this patient had a respiratory dysfunction and some difficulties in a prone position, ME enabled a safe esophagectomy with lymph node dissection.

Propofol infusions using a human target controlled infusion (TCI) pump in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Chimpanzees are genetically and physiologically similar to humans. Several pharmacokinetic models of propofol are available and target controlled infusion (TCI) of propofol is established in humans, but not in chimpanzees. The purpose of this study was to investigate if human pharmacokinetic models can accurately predict propofol plasma concentration (Cp) in chimpanzees and if it is feasible to perform TCI in chimpanzees. Ten chimpanzees were anaesthetized for regular veterinary examinations. Propofol was used as an induction or maintenance agent. Blood samples were collected from a catheter in a cephalic vein at 3–7 time points between 1 and 100 min following the propofol bolus and/or infusion in five chimpanzees, or TCI in six chimpanzees. Cp was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. The Marsh, Schnider and Eleveld human pharmacokinetic models were used to predict Cp for each case and we examined the predictive performances of these models using the Varvel criteria Median PE and Median APE. Median PE and Median APE for Marsh, Schnider and Eleveld models were within or close to the acceptable range. A human TCI pump was successfully maintained propofol Cp during general anesthesia in six chimpanzees. Human propofol pharmacokinetic models and TCI pumps can be applied in chimpanzees.

Paraesophageal hernia repair can decrease BNP levels

BACKGROUND

Although the main manifestation of giant paraesophageal hernia (PEH) is disordered meal passage due to gastric torsion, the contents of the hernia sometimes squeeze the heart and lungs and induce the symptoms of respiratory or heart failure. Furthermore, the quality of life (QOL) of patients with a heavy cardiac load deteriorates. In this study, changes in a heart failure marker and symptoms of cases with a giant PEH from before to after laparoscopic surgery were examined.

METHODS

Levels of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) as a heart failure marker were measured before and after radical laparoscopic surgery in cases of type III, IV type of giant PEH. Changes of the symptoms due to heart failure were also investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 75 hiatal hernia surgeries were performed in 2012-2019. Of them, 50 had a giant PEH, and 20 (40.0%) had heart failure symptoms such as fatigue and exertional dyspnea. In the giant PEH cases, BNP could be measured before and after surgery to evaluate the presence of heart failure in 23 cases; postoperative BNP levels decreased from the preoperative values in 18 of them. Furthermore, in many cases, chest symptoms also improved.

CONCLUSIONS

Radical laparoscopic surgery can reduce heart failure due to giant PEH. Therefore, in addition to conventional surgical indication criteria such as vomiting and food loss, increased cardiac load may be added to the new surgical indication criteria.

Initial introduction of robot-assisted, minimally invasive esophagectomy using the microanatomy-based concept in the upper mediastinum

Background

We have recently standardized upper mediastinal lymph node dissection (UMLND) using a microanatomy-based concept in thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position (TEPP), and introduced robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) using the same concept as in TEPP while aiming at solo surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of RAMIE using the microanatomy-based concept in the initial introduction phase.

Methods

We have performed more than 500 TEPP procedures as minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). After performing about 400 cases of MIE, we established a microanatomy-based standardization of UMLND. In October 2018, we introduced RAMIE, and have performed 75 procedures in 20 months. Two groups were analyzed: a group after microanatomy-based standardization in TEPP (100 cases after completing 400 cases of TEPP) and a RAMIE group (75 cases). Finally, 51 paired cases were matched using a propensity score. Furthermore, the change in postoperative short-term outcome for RAMIE in the initial introduction phase was analyzed.

Results

Although there were no significant differences between the two groups in the number of upper mediastinal lymph nodes dissected, there was a significant decrease (P = 0.036) in intraoperative blood loss volume with RAMIE, representing a definite benefit for patients. The thoracoscopic operative time for RAMIE decreased by almost 100 min following less than 50 cases of experience, reaching the same level as that for recent TEPP, but with only one-tenth the operator experience. There were no significant differences in the total postoperative morbidity rate including the recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy rate.

Conclusion

RAMIE has been introduced safely and smoothly using the microanatomy-based concept established in TEPP.

Risk factor of mediastinal lymph node metastasis of Siewert type I and II esophagogastric junction carcinomas

BACKGROUND

Incidence of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) carcinoma has been increasing worldwide. Several studies revealed that the distance from the EGJ to the proximal edge of the primary tumor (esophageal invasion: EI) may be a significant indicator of metastasis in the mediastinal lymph nodes in patients with Siewert type II carcinomas. However, few studies have been conducted in patients with carcinomas located at Siewert type II sequentially to upper carcinomas (Siewert type I) for mediastinal metastasis regardless of histological types.

METHODS

This was a single-center retrospective cohort study. EGJ carcinomas located at Siewert type I and II regions including both squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma were analyzed in terms of lymph node metastasis patterns.

RESULTS

We included 121 patients in this study. Thirty-three (27.3%) patients had SCC. In multivariate analysis, the distance of EI (> 20 mm) was an independent risk factor (OR 11.80, p = 0.005) for lower mediastinal lymph node metastasis. In terms of above the middle mediastinal metastasis, the distance of EI (> 30 m), histological type (SCC), and tumor size (> 40 mm) were risk factors in univariate analysis. Furthermore, EI was significant (OR 13.50, p = 0.026) in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The distance of EI was the independent risk factor for mediastinal lymph node metastasis, especially > 20 mm related with a higher risk for mediastinal lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, EGJ carcinoma patients who have EI > 30 mm, large SCC carcinoma, and multiple lymph node metastasis might be considered the middle-upper mediastinal lymph node dissection by transthoracic approach.