Effective diameter of balloon dilation for benign esophagojejunal anastomotic stricture after total gastrectomy

Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Incisional Therapy and Balloon Dilatation for Esophageal Anastomotic Stricture

BACKGROUND

Benign esophageal anastomotic strictures have typically been treated using endoscopic methods, often with balloon dilatation (BD). However, recurrent esophageal strictures after BD have been reported. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of endoscopic incisional therapy (EIT) and BD for treating an anastomotic stricture after a total gastrectomy.

METHODS

Subjects who underwent EIT or BD as a first treatment for esophagojejunostomy anastomotic stricture after a total gastrectomy between January 2010 and December 2018 were eligible. The medical records of these cases were retrospectively reviewed. Stricture was defined as an inability to pass a normal diameter endoscope (10.2 mm). The stricture area was incised under direct vision with the nano-insulated-tip knife in a radial fashion parallel to the longitudinal axis of the esophagus.

RESULTS

Twenty-one patients in our database presented with benign anastomotic stricture after a total gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer. The BD group included 12 patients. The remaining nine patients underwent EIT, and three of these cases received an immediate additional BD. The re-stricture rate was significantly different between the BD and EIT groups (41.7% vs. 0%, respectively; P = 0.045). There were no significant differences in procedure time, interval from surgery to first stricture, hospitalization period, or complication rates between the groups. One patient developed a microperforation during BD and was treated without surgical intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

EIT is a safe and effective primary treatment modality compared with BD for esophagojejunostomy anastomotic stricture after a total gastrectomy as it shows a significantly lower re-stricture rate.

Initial management of esophageal anastomotic strictures after transhiatal esophagectomy for esophageal cancer with dilations up to 18-20 mm

INTRODUCTION

Esophageal anastomotic stricture is a well-known complication after transhiatal esophagectomy (THE), but there is limited data regarding the initial management and subsequent outcomes after stricture dilation. There is concern that dilating to larger diameters upon the initial encounter, specifically with high-grade strictures, will lead to increased risk for complications. We therefore reviewed one surgeon's experience with esophageal dilations after THE and provided data and treatment recommendations based upon these findings.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients who underwent esophageal dilations ≥ 18 mm up to 20 mm after THE between 2006 and 2019 at our institution was performed. Patient demographics were n = 97, age = 70, 81 males.

RESULTS

For all cases, the mean location, length, diameter of the stricture, and number of days from surgery and initial dilation were 20 cm, 1.9 cm, 6.7 mm, and 106 days, respectively. Most dilations (79%) occurred within 2 weeks to 3 months from surgery. 29.9% were dilated up to 18 mm, 10.3% were dilated up to 19 mm, and 59.8% were dilated up to 20 mm upon initial dilation. Even 1-mm-diameter lesions could be safely dilated upon 18-20 mm. In this study group there were no complications after endoscopic dilation that required hospitalization or further surgical or endoscopic interventions.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that early aggressive endoscopic management of esophageal anastomotic strictures after THE can be safely performed.

Endoscopic balloon dilation and submucosal injection of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of esophageal stricture: A single-center retrospective study

Effect and prognosis of endoscopic balloon dilatation combined with submucosal triamcinolone acetonide on treating benign esophageal lesions were explored. This retrospective study included patients with esophageal stricture treated in the Department of Gastroenterology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from March 2012 to March 2015. Enrolled patients were divided into the treatment and control group depending on the therapy differences. Endoscopic balloon dilation combined with submucosal injection of triamcinolone acetonide was performed in the treatment group and the endoscopic balloon dilatation was performed in the control group. In addition, the treatment group was further divided into the <16- and >16-mm subgroup according to the degree of balloon dilatation. During 1-year follow-up, changes of esophageal stenosis, esophageal stenosis recurrence rate, postoperative complications and adverse reactions were observed and analyzed. The improvement of esophageal stenosis of the treatment group was significantly superior to that of the control group at 2 and 4 months after operation, respectively (P=0.002, 0.013). The esophageal stenosis recurrence rate was 62.2 and 77.2% in the treatment and control group, respectively (P=0.027); the recurrence time of stenosis was 101.4±8.6 days in the treatment group and 75.4±5.2 days in the control group (P=0.006). Additionally, the recurrence time of esophageal stenosis was significantly shorter in the >16-mm subgroup compared with that of the <16-mm subgroup (P<0.001). Endoscopic balloon dilatation combined with local injection of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of esophageal stricture had a better therapeutic effect than that of the simple balloon dilatation, which was more effective when the balloon dilatation was >16 mm. It could significantly prolong the recurrence time of esophageal stricture.

Endoscopic dilation of benign esophageal anastomotic strictures over 16 mm has a longer lasting effect

Background

The optimal target of endoscopic dilation of postsurgical esophageal strictures is unknown. Our aim was to compare the dilation-free period of patients who underwent dilation up to 16 mm with patients who were dilated up to 17 or 18 mm.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed adult patients who received bougie/balloon dilation for a benign anastomotic stricture after esophagectomy. An anastomotic stricture was defined as dysphagia in combination with a luminal diameter of ≤13 mm at endoscopy. We analyzed the dilation-free period using Kaplan–Meier and multivariable Cox regression analysis.

Results

Eighty-eight patients were dilated up to a maximum diameter of 16 mm and 91 patients to a diameter >16 mm. The stricture recurrence rate was 79.5 % in the 16 mm group and 68.1 % in the >16 mm group (p = 0.083). The overall dilation-free period had a median of 41.5 (range 8–3233) days and 92 (range 17–1745) days, respectively (p < 0.001). For patients who developed a stricture recurrence, the median dilation-free period was 28 (range 8–487) days and 63 (range 17–1013) days, respectively (p = 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed a reduced risk of stricture recurrence for patients who were dilated up to >16 mm: crude hazard ratio (HR) 0.57 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.41–0.81) and adjusted HR 0.48 (95 % CI 0.33–0.70).

Conclusions

Endoscopic dilation over 16 mm resulted in a significant prolongation of the dilation-free period in comparison with dilation up to 16 mm in patients with benign anastomotic strictures after esophagectomy.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00464-016-5187-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Trans-Balloon Visualisation During Dilatation (TBVD) of Oesophageal Strictures: a Novel Innovation

BACKGROUND

Hydrostatic balloon dilatation of upper gastrointestinal strictures is associated with a risk of perforation that varies with the underlying pathology and with the technique employed. We present a technique of trans-balloon visualisation of the stricture during dilatation (TBVD) that allows direct 'real-time' observation of the effect of dilatation on the stricture, facilitating early recognition of mucosal abruption, thereby reducing the perforation rate.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analysed 100 consecutive patients, undergoing balloon dilatation of oesophageal strictures between 1st of January 2011 and 1st of July 2014.

RESULTS

One hundred patients underwent 186 dilatations, with 34 having multiple procedures (mean 1.86). All had oesophageal strictures (mean diameter 8.49 mm, range 5-11 mm) and most underwent dilatation up to a maximum of 17 mm (mean 14.7 mm). Fifty-six percent were male and the average age was 62.5 years (17-89 years). Only one patient (0.5% of all procedures) had a full-thickness perforation requiring intervention while just one further patient had a deep mucosal tear that did not require intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

TBVD is a safe technique with a short learning curve and is one of the important factors that allow potentially difficult dilatations to be performed safely with an exceptionally low rate of adverse events of less than 1%.

Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy in the Western Patient Population: Tips, Techniques, and Evidence-based Practice

Gastric cancer is the second most common malignancy worldwide, and surgical resection is the only curative treatment. Traditionally, open total gastrectomy has been the procedure of choice for large and proximal carcinomas. Over the past decade, however, laparoscopic gastrectomy has emerged and an oncologically safe and feasible alternative to open surgery, and its use has become particularly widespread in Japan and Korea. Patients in the United States have important biological and anatomic distinctions from East Asian patients, and these become important factors when considering minimally invasive resection techniques. The goal of this paper is to describe the technique we have developed for laparoscopic total gastrectomy in our 10-year experience with a western patient population.

Evaluation of combined argon plasma coagulation and Savary Bougienage for the relief of anastomotic-stenosis after esophageal squamous cancer surgery

BACKGROUND

Several endoscopic dilation techniques have been reported for treatment of anastomotic-stenosis of esophageal cancer, but the high incidence of dysphagia has remained unchanged. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC) combined with Savary Bougienage (SB) compared to APC alone or SB alone for anastomotic-stenosis after radical operation for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

METHODS

Patients with anastomotic-stenosis that was diagnosed for the first time following esophageal squamous cell carcinoma resection surgery were randomly assigned to undergo APC combined with SB, APC alone, or SB alone. Primary endpoints were the dysphagia-free survival (DFS defined as the time from first dilatation of effectively relieved dysphagia to dysphagia relapse expressed in days) after 6 months of follow up.

RESULTS

A total of 90 patients from the Cancer Institute, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology were entered into the study (APC group, n = 30, SB group, n = 30, combination group [APC combined with SB], n = 30). Primary endpoints: 6 months after treatment, DFS of combination group (115.63 days; 95% CI, 105.31-125.95) was significantly longer than the APC alone group (39.53 days; 95% CI, 35.95-43.11, p = 0.000) and the SB alone group (16.93 days; 95% CI, 15.01-18.84, p = 0.000). No severe complications occurred within the three treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

APC combined with SB was a safe and well-tolerated method for relieving dysphagia of esophageal squamous cell cancer patients with anastomotic-stenosis. (Registered with randomized controlled trials, ChiCRT, registration number ChiCTR-TRC-13003757.)

Endoscopy-guided balloon dilation of benign anastomotic strictures after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer

Background/Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of endoscopic dilation for benign anastomotic stricture after radical gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients.

Methods

Gastric cancer patients who underwent endoscopic balloon dilation for benign anastomosis stricture after radical gastrectomy during a 6-year period were reviewed retrospectively.

Results

Twenty-one patients developed benign strictures at the site of anastomosis. The majority of strictures occurred within 1 year after surgery (95.2%). The median duration to stenosis after surgery was 1.70 months (range, 0.17 to 23.97 months). The success rate of the first endoscopic dilation was 61.9%. Between the restenosis group (n=8) and the no restenosis group (n=13), there were no significant differences in the body mass index (22.82 kg/m² vs 22.46 kg/m²), interval to symptom onset (73.9 days vs 109.3 days), interval to treatment (84.6 days vs 115.6 days), maximal balloon diameter (14.12 mm vs 15.62 mm), number of balloon dilation sessions (1.75 vs 1.31), location of gastric cancer or type of surgery. One patient required surgery because of stricture refractory to repeated dilation.

Conclusions

Endoscopic dilation is a highly effective treatment for benign anastomotic strictures after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer and should be considered a primary intervention prior to proceeding with surgical revision.

Influence of a positive proximal margin on oral intake in patients with palliative gastrectomy for far advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Resection margin involvement is one of the most significant risk factors for local recurrence in curative gastrectomy, and local recurrence results in anastomotic stenosis. In the present study, the effects of a positive resection margin in palliative gastrectomy on the symptoms of anastomotic stenosis and the amount of oral intake were analyzed.

METHODS

Between September 2002 and December 2009, 2,228 patients underwent resection for gastric cancer at Shizuoka Cancer Center, Japan, of whom 18 underwent palliative gastrectomy with a positive proximal margin because of urgent symptoms such as tumor bleeding, stenosis, or perforation. These 18 patients were analyzed retrospectively in this study.

RESULTS

Twelve patients had a positive proximal margin, and six patients had both proximal and distal margin involvement. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 2 patients. The median overall survival was 7.5 months, and the median time from operation to a decrease in oral intake was 5.5 months. Anastomotic recurrence developed in 3 patients, and in all of them, anastomotic stricture was found 2-3 months after gastrectomy. One of these patients, who was in good general condition, was treated by endoscopic balloon dilatation. The other 2 patients did not undergo balloon dilatation because their general condition was poor, with peritonitis carcinomatosa.

CONCLUSIONS

It does not appear necessary for palliative gastrectomy to achieve a negative proximal margin, because salvage therapies resulted in maintaining a tolerable oral intake in patients who were in good general condition.