Cervical Reconstruction after Cervical Myomectomy or Hysterectomy: Operative Challenges in Huge Cervical Fibroids

Abstract Introduction Esophagectomy is the gold standard in the surgical therapy of esophageal cancer. It is either performed thoracoabdominal with a intrathoracic anastomosis or in proximal cancers with a three-incision esophagectomy and cervical reconstruction. Delayed gastric conduit emptying (DGCE) is the most common functional postoperative disorder after Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy (IL). Pneumonia is significantly more often in patients with DGCE. It remains unclear if DGCE anastomotic leakage (AL) is associated. Aim of our study is to analyze, if AL is more likely to happen in patients with a DGCE. Patients and methods 816 patients were included. All patients have had an IL due to esophageal/esophagogastric-junction cancer between 2013 and 2018 in our center. Intrathoracic esophagogastric end-to-side anastomosis was performed with a circular stapling device. The collective has been divided in two groups depending on the occurrence of DGCE. The diagnosis DGCE was determined by clinical and radiologic criteria in accordance with current international expert consensus. Results 27.7% of all patients suffered from DGCE postoperatively. Female patients had a significantly higher chance to suffer from DGCE than male patients (34.4% vs. 26.2% vs., p = 0.040). Pneumonia was more common in patients with DGCE (13.7% vs. 8.5%, p = 0.025), furthermore hospitalization was longer in DGCE patients (median 17 days vs. 14d, p < 0.001). There was no difference in the rate of type II anastomotic leakage, (5.8% in both groups DGCE). All patients with ECCG type II AL (n = 47; 5.8%) were treated successfully by endoluminal/endoscopic therapy. The subgroup analysis showed that ASA ≥ III (7.6% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.05) and the histology squamous cell carcinoma (9.8% vs. 4.7%, p = 0.01) were independent risk factors for the occurrence of an AL. Conclusion Our study confirms that DGCE after IL is a common finding in a standardized collective of patients in a high-volume center. This functional disorder is associated with a higher rate of pneumonia and a prolonged hospital stay. Still, there is no association between DGCE and the occurrence of an AL after esophagectomy. The hypothesis, that an DGCE results in a higher pressure on the anastomosis and therefore to an AL in consequence, can be refuted. DGCE is not a pathogenetic factor for an AL.

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The differential effect of cervical kyphosis correction surgery on global sagittal alignment and health-related quality of life according to head- and trunk-balanced subtype

Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ◽

10.3171/2020.9.spine201309 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Seung-Jae Hyun ◽

Ki-Jeong Kim ◽

Tae-Ahn Jahng

Keyword(s):

Sagittal Alignment ◽

Thoracolumbar Spine ◽

Upper Cervical Spine ◽

Cervical Kyphosis ◽

Global Sagittal Alignment ◽

Upper Cervical ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

Cervical Reconstruction

OBJECTIVE No reports have investigated how cervical reconstructive surgery affects global sagittal alignment (GSA), including the lower extremities, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The study was aimed at elucidating the effects of cervical reconstruction on GSA and HRQOL. METHODS Twenty-three patients who underwent reconstructive surgery for cervical kyphosis were divided into a head-balanced group (n = 13) and a trunk-balanced group (n = 10) according to the values of the C7 plumb line, T1 slope (T1S), and pelvic incidence minus lumbar lordosis (PI-LL). Head-balanced patients are those with a negative C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), a larger LL than PI, and a low T1S. Trunk-balanced patients are those with a positive SVAC7, a normal PI-LL, and a normal to high T1S. Various sagittal Cobb angles, SVA, and lower-extremity alignment parameters were measured before and after surgery using whole-body stereoradiography. RESULTS Cervical malalignment was corrected to achieve cervical sagittal balance and occiput-trunk (OT) concordance (center of gravity [COG]–C7 SVA < 30 mm). Significant changes in the upper cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine were observed in the head-balanced group, but no significant change in lumbopelvic alignment was observed in the trunk-balanced group. Lower-extremity alignment did not change substantially in either group. HRQOL scores improved significantly after surgery in both groups. SVACOG–C7 and SVAC2–7 were negatively and positively correlated with the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey physical component score and Neck Disability Index, respectively. The visual analog scale for back pain, Oswestry Disability Index, and PI-LL mismatch improved significantly in the head-balanced group after cervical reconstruction surgery. CONCLUSIONS Patients with cervical kyphosis exhibited compensatory changes in the upper cervical spine and thoracolumbar spine, instead of in the lower extremities. These compensatory mechanisms resolved reciprocally in a different fashion in the head- and trunk-balanced groups. HRQOL scores improved significantly with GSA restoration and OT concordance following cervical reconstruction.

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