Endoscopic full-thickness resection of a large gastric schwannoma and iatrogenic cervical esophageal perforations: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Gastrointestinal schwannomas are most commonly found in the stomach. Owing to their nonspecific clinical and endoscopic presentations, distinguishing gastric schwannomas (GS) from other gastric submucosal tumors based on typical symptoms and endoscopic features is challenging. Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) is safe and effective for GS management; however, no standard method exists for the extraction of large gastric specimens after endoscopic treatment.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report the case of a 72-year-old Chinese woman who presented with abdominal distension.

DIAGNOSIS, INTERVENTIONS, AND OUTCOMES

Gastroscopy revealed a submucosal bulge on the anterior wall of the lower stomach near the greater curvature. Endoscopic ultrasonography and computed tomography suggested a stromal tumor. The patient underwent EFTR of the stomach, and the tumor was successfully removed. The surgical specimen, with a long-axis diameter of approximately 5.5 cm in vitro, was extracted using a snare. Subsequent endoscopic examination revealed longitudinal, full-thickness perforations > 2 cm at the esophageal entrance. Over 10 metal clips were used to seal the mucosa, and a gastrointestinal decompression tube was placed. Follow-up radiography performed at 1 week postoperatively revealed an esophageal mediastinal fistula, which required subsequent endoscopic intervention to close the fistula using metal clips. The patient showed improvement and was discharged at 3 weeks postoperatively. Follow-up esophageal radiography revealed no abnormalities. Postoperative immunohistochemical analysis indicated CD34 (-), CD117 (-), DOG-1 (-), Ki67 (1%), S-100 (+), SDHB (+), SOX-10 (+), and Desmin (-), confirming the diagnosis of GS. Three months postoperatively, gastroscopy showed that the esophageal perforation healed well, a white ulcer scar had formed locally, metal clips were found in the stomach body, and no recurrence was found.

CONCLUSION

EFTR is effective for removing giant schwannomas, although the extraction of large specimens may result in iatrogenic cervical esophageal perforations. Perforations > 2 cm can be managed using endoscopic metal clip closure.

CT esophagogram in the emergency setting: typical findings and suggested workflow

PURPOSE

Esophageal perforation (EP) can be a diagnostic challenge. Computed tomography (CT) and CT esophagography (CTE) are often used to rule out EP in the emergency setting with promising diagnostic performance, but the standard of care remains fluoroscopic esophagography (FE). We assess the diagnostic performance of CT and CTE when interpreted by expert and generalist radiologists and created an imaging workflow guide.

METHODS

Retrospective study of patients presenting with suspected EP. Two expert radiologists independently reviewed blinded CT/CTE studies, recorded CT findings, and assigned an esophageal injury grade. We also collected initial (general radiologist) CT findings and interpretation and FE diagnoses. We assessed inter-reader reliability and diagnostic performance.

RESULTS

EP was diagnosed in 46/139 (33%) encounters. The most common CT/CTE findings in EP were esophageal wall thickening (46/46, 100%), pneumomediastinum (42/46, 91%), and mediastinal stranding (39/46, 85%). CT and CTE sensitivity for detecting EP was 89% and 89% for expert radiologists, respectively, and 79% and 82% for general radiologists, compared with 46% for FE. Inter-reader agreement for detecting EP by CT and CTE was kappa 0.35 and 0.42 (both p < .001) between expert and generalist radiologists. We present radiographic images for key CT/CTE findings and a suggested workflow for the evaluation of possible EP.

CONCLUSION

CT and CTE are more sensitive than FE for EP in the emergency setting. Due to the rarity of EP and current wide variability in imaging interpretation, an imaging workflow and injury grading system based on esophageal and mediastinal CT findings are offered to help guide management.

Robotic surgery in the management of synchronous esophageal and gastric perforation after endoscopic dilation

Upper gastrointestinal perforation is a feared complication of diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy, with an incidence of perforation between 0.3% and 5%. Even though is rare, the mortality rate can be as high as 40%. Currently, there is no consensus on the best therapeutic strategy and it usually depends on patient stability, the extent of perforation, time to diagnosis, surgeon experience and available resourcesWe present a case of a patient who presented to our institution to undergo an ambulatory oesophageal dilation. After dilation, the patient developed two full-thickness gastric perforations and a full-thickness oesophageal perforation without haemodynamic instability. All perforations were diagnosed and treated with a combination of intraoperative endoscopy and robotic surgery with excellent outcomes.We demonstrate that a robotic approach combined with intraoperative diagnostic endoscopy is a safe and feasible treatment option for esophageal and gastric perforations in a stable patient without large extraluminal contamination.

Retrospective analysis of 10 cases with esophageal fistula after anterior surgery for cervical spine fracture

Objective

This study aims to discuss the appropriate treatment of esophageal fistula following anterior surgery for cervical spine fracture.

Methods

Clinical data of patients with cervical spine fracture treated at our research center from January 2000 to December 2019 were screened. Data of patients with esophageal fistula were included, and the causes of injury, diagnosis, and treatment were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

A total of 3578 patients with cervical spine fracture were screened, among whom there were 10 cases (0.28 %) of esophageal fistula. 60 % of the cases were early-onset and all were caused by intraoperative electric knife injury. The positive rate of early endoscopy was only 25 %, while routine radiography showed a positive rate of 33.3 % after three attempts. Among the six patients with early-onset esophageal fistula, three underwent sternocleidomastoid flap transfer and two underwent primary suture, all achieving successful healing. In the four cases of late-onset esophageal fistula, two patients received implant removal, debridement, incision lavage, and sternocleidomastoid muscle flap transfer three weeks later. One patient received implant removal, debridement, vacuum sealing drainage, followed by sternocleidomastoid muscle pedicle transfer muscle flap plus lavage two weeks later and achieved complete recovery. All patients gargled alternately with metronidazole and chlorhexidine gargle after surgery.

Conclusion

The occurrence of esophageal fistula is associated with surgical procedures, esophageal injury, and implant compression. Esophagography and endoscopy are the primary diagnostic methods, while incision exploration after ingestion of food mixed with methylene serves as a supplementary approach. Recommended treatments include alternating metronidazole and chlorhexidine gargles, esophageal rest, repair of the fistula, muscle flap packing, lavage and drainage, nutritional support, and removal of internal fixation if necessary. Post-surgery administration of antibiotics should continue until three consecutive lavage cultures yield negative results.

Successful management of 72-h delay-detected blunt esophageal injury with trans-gastric primary repair; a case report and literature review

Diagnosis of blunt esophageal injury is currently a challenging issue. Early surgical interventions still play as the mainstay of treatment. There was no consensus about appropriate treatment options. However, it was potential morbidity if delayed management. We report a 33-year-old man with a history of a motorcycle accident who presented with hematemesis and epigastrium pain. He was initially diagnosed with left pneumohemothorax and low-grade gastric injury. The patient developed a high-grade fever with complex left pneumohemothorax 72-h after admission. The diagnostic studies revealed a lower esophageal rupture. He was treated with trans-gastric primary repair and recovered well with no complications. We propose the trans-gastric intraluminal repair is one of the surgical options in a blunt lower esophageal rupture.

Risk factors for the poor prognosis of Benign esophageal perforation: 8-year experience

BACKGROUND

Esophageal perforation (EP) has a high mortality rate and poor prognosis. This single-center retrospective study aims to analyze the related risk factors for benign EP.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 135 patients with benign EP admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from January 2012 to December 2020. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were performed to estimate risk factors for prognosis of esophageal perforation patients.

RESULTS

There were 118 EP patients with foreign body ingestion and 17 patients with nonforeign body ingestion. Fish bones (78/118) were the most common foreign body and most of the nonforeign EPs were caused by spontaneous esophageal rupture (14/17). Foreign body perforations occurred mostly in the upper thoracic segment (70/118) and middle thoracic segment (31/118), and spontaneous esophageal ruptures occurred mostly in the lower thoracic segment (15/17). Fifteen patients (11.1%) died during hospitalization or within one month of discharge. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that high white blood cell (WBC) levels [odds ratio (OR) = 2.229, 95% confidential interval (CI): 0.776-6.403, P = 0.025], chest or mediastinal emphysema (OR = 7.609, 95% CI: 2.418-23.946, P = 0.001), and time to treatment > 72 h (OR = 3.407, 95% CI: 0.674-17.233, P = 0.018) were independent risk factors for poor prognosis.

CONCLUSION

Foreign body was the major reason for benign EP. High WBC level, chest or mediastinal emphysema and time to treatment > 72 h were risk factors for poor prognosis.

High risk and low prevalence diseases: Esophageal perforation

INTRODUCTION

Esophageal perforation is a rare but serious condition associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE

This article highlights the pearls and pitfalls of esophageal perforation, including diagnosis, initial resuscitation, and management in the emergency department based on current evidence.

DISCUSSION

Esophageal perforation occurs with injury to the layers of the esophagus, resulting in mediastinal contamination and sepsis. While aspects of the history and physical examination may prompt consideration of the diagnosis, the lack of classic signs and symptoms cannot be used to rule out esophageal perforation. Chest radiograph often exhibits indirect findings suggestive of esophageal perforation, but these are rarely diagnostic. Advanced imaging is necessary to make the diagnosis, evaluate the severity of the injury, and guide appropriate management. Management focuses on hemodynamic stabilization with intravenous fluids and vasopressors if needed, gastric decompression, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and a thoughtful approach to airway management. Proton pump inhibitors and antifungals may be used as adjunctive therapies. Current available evidence for various treatment options (conservative, endoscopic, and surgical interventions) for esophageal perforation and resulting patient outcomes are limited. A multidisciplinary team approach with input from thoracic surgery, interventional radiology, gastroenterology, and critical care is recommended, with admission to the intensive care setting.

CONCLUSIONS

An understanding of esophageal perforation can assist emergency physicians in diagnosing and managing this deadly disease.

Repair, Reconstruct, or Divert: Fate of the Perforated Esophagus

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine differences in esophageal perforation populations undergoing different advanced interventions for perforated esophagus and identify predictors of treatment outcomes.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Contained esophageal perforation can often be managed expectantly, but uncontained perforation is uniformly fatal without invasive intervention. Treatment options for the latter range from simple endoscopic control through advanced intervention. Clinical presentation varies greatly and directs which intervention is most appropriate.

METHODS

From 1996 to 2017, 335 patients were treated for esophageal perforation, and 166 for advanced interventions: 74 primary repair with tissue flap (repair), 26 esophagectomy and gastric pull-up (resection), and 66 esophagectomy and immediate diversion with planned delayed reconstruction (resection-diversion). Patient characteristics, clinical presentation, operative outcomes, and survival were abstracted. Pittsburgh Severity Scores (PSS) were retrospectively calculated. Random survival forest analysis was performed for 90-day mortality and competing risks for reconstruction after resection-diversion.

RESULTS

Repair and resection patients had lower PSS than resection-diversion patients (3 vs 3 vs 6, respectively). Ninety-day mortality for repair, resection, and resection-diversion was 11% vs 7.7% vs 23%, and 5-year survival was 71% vs 63% vs 47%. Risk of death after resection-diversion was highest within 1 year, but 52% of patients had reconstruction of the upper alimentary tract within 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Several advanced interventions exist for critically ill patients with uncontained esophageal perforation. Repair and organ preservation are always preferred; however, patients at extremes of illness might best be treated with resection-diversion, with the understanding that the competing risk of death may preclude eventual reconstruction.

Bovine xenograft pericardial patch use for definitive single stage repair of a large esophageal defect: a case report

Background

Large esophageal perforations are challenging and often treated with exclusion or resection. This case demonstrates the feasibility of definitive surgical repair of a large esophageal perforation using large bovine pericardial patch.

Case

A patient with missed Boerhaave Syndrome underwent transesophageal echocardiography causing worsening perforation and sepsis. At thoracotomy and faced with a large esophageal defect, a large Bovine pericardial patch was used for repair with omentopexy. The patient recovered promptly and at 8 months was asymptomatic with satisfactory studies.

Conclusion

Xenograft pericardium is available and widely used for vascular reconstructions. It’s use for primary repair of large esophageal perforations should be considered.

Circumferential esophageal perforation resulting in tension hydropneumothorax in a patient with septic shock

Esophageal perforations occur traumatically or spontaneously and are typically associated with high mortality rates. Early recognition and prompt management are essential. We present the case of a 76-year-old man who was admitted to the medical intensive care unit with fulminant Clostridium difficile colitis, shock, and multi-organ failure. After an initial period of improvement, his condition rapidly deteriorated despite aggressive medical management, and he required mechanical ventilation. Radiography after endotracheal intubation showed interval development of pneumomediastinum and bilateral hydropneumothorax with tension physiology. Chest tube placement resulted in the drainage of multiple liters of dark fluid, and pleural fluid analysis was notable for polymicrobial empyemas. Despite the unusual presentation, esophageal perforation was suspected. Endoscopy ultimately confirmed circumferential separation of the distal esophagus from the stomach, and bedside endoscopic stenting was performed with transient improvement. Two weeks after admission, he developed mediastinitis complicated by recurrent respiratory failure and passed away. This report further characterizes our patient’s unique presentation and briefly highlights the clinical manifestations, management options, and outcomes of esophageal perforations.

Transoral Endoscopic Approach to Repair Early Pharyngeal Perforations After Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery without Failure of Instrumentation: Our Experience and Review of Literature

BACKGROUND

Pharyngoesophageal injury during anterior cervical spine surgery is a rare and potentially life-threatening complication; generally it is the result of intraoperative manipulation or hardware erosion and sometimes may be due to weakness of the pharyngoesophageal wall from pre-existing pathologic conditions, such as diabetes, gastritis, or obesity.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We describe the management strategies in patients with an early postoperative hypopharyngeal perforation that occurred after anterior cervical spine surgery without failure of instrumentation, and we present a case treated endoscopically at our institution.

CONCLUSIONS

Appropriate treatment for pharyngoesophageal perforations is controversial and not investigated in detail. There is a lack of prospective studies comparing initial conservative versus surgical approaches to treatment. In addition, endoscopic management is growing as a therapeutic option, but no consensus concerning the indications for an endoscopic approach in the treatment of pharyngoesophageal injury in anterior cervical spine surgery is currently reached. A common theme proposed in the literature is that early recognition and aggressive investigation and treatment are essential to ensure a good outcome. A customized interdisciplinary surgical approach is essential for successful treatment. Use of the transoral endoscopic approach is a useful noninvasive method to treat this rare but potentially devastating complication.

[Minimally invasive treatment of post-burn esophageal perforation]

Perforation of the esophagus is a serious and dangerous condition due to progressive development of mediastinitis and sepsis. This disease is often fatal. In the last decade, endoscopic stenting of the esophagus became more common in these patients as an alternative to traditional surgery. We report successful minimally invasive endoscopic treatment of esophageal perforation with post-burn necrosis of its wall.

Challenges in the diagnosis of Boerhaave syndrome: A case report

RATIONALE

Acute chest pain remains one of the most challenging complaints of patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs). The diverse etiologies of chest pain frequently lead to diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Esophageal perforation is a rare but potentially life-threatening disease. It results in delayed diagnosis and an estimated mortality risk of 20% to 40%. Prompt diagnosis and immediate therapeutic interventions are key factors for a good prognosis.

PATIENT CONCERNS

Case 1 involved a 66-year-old man who presented to the ED with acute chest pain radiating to the back and hematemesis. Emergent contrast thoracic computerized tomography (CT) indicated the presence of a massive pneumothorax with pleural effusion. The continuous drainage of a dark-red bloody fluid following emergent thoracic intubation led to the discovery that the patient had experienced severe vomiting after whiskey consumption before admission to the hospital. Re-evaluation of the CT indicated spontaneous pneumomediastinum, whereas barium esophagography confirmed the presence of an esophageal perforation. Case 2 involved an 18-year-old Vietnamese man admitted to our ED with acute chest pain and swelling of the neck after vomiting due to beer consumption. A chest x-ray indicated diffuse subcutaneous emphysema of the neck and upper thorax. Contrast CT indicated pneumomediastinum with extensive emphysema and air in the paraspinal region and spinal canal.

DIAGNOSES

Both of the 2 cases were diagnosed as spontaneous perforation of the esophagus (Boerhaave syndrome [BS]).

INTERVENTIONS

Case 1 received surgical interventions, whereas case 2 decided not to avail our medical services.

OUTCOMES

Case 1 was discharged after a good recovery. Case 2 lost to follow-up.

LESSONS

We recommend all physicians in the ED to raise their index of suspicion for BS when dealing with patients having acute chest pain, dyspnea, confirmed pneumothorax, or newly-developed pleural effusion.

Sepsis in Acute Mediastinitis - A Severe Complication after Oesophageal Perforations. A Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Despite recent advancements in antibiotic therapy and the progress made in critical care and modern diagnostic methods, acute mediastinitis continues to be a severe condition.

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Acute mediastinitis can occur in the context of cardio-thoracic surgery, oesophageal perforations and oropharyngeal infections condition. Forty-five percent of oesophageal perforations occurs during simple endoscopy. Spontaneous perforation (Boerhaave syndrome) accounts for 15% of perforations, and twelve percent are due to the ingestion of foreign bodies. Other causes include blind or penetrating trauma, and circa 9% to intraoperative lesions. CT scan is the standard investigation that reveals direct signs of mediastinitis.The oral administration of contrast substances can underscore the level of oesophageal perforation. Conservative treatment is the first-choice treatment and surgical treatment is reserved only for specific situations.The principles of surgical treatment consist of drainage, primary suture, oesophageal exclusion with or without the application of oesophagectomy, endoscopic vacuum wound assisted therapy of the perforation and associated paraoesophageal mediastinal drainage and endoscopic stenting associated with drainage.

CONCLUSIONS

The lowest mortality rate is recorded in patients with perforations diagnosed less than twenty-four hours after the onset of symptoms. Surgical treatment remains the gold standard especially in cases of thoracic and abdominal perforations while further investigations are mandatory before endoscopic stenting is carried out.