Pseudodiverticulum of the Cervical Esophagus With Remnant of Branchial Tissues in a Newborn: A Case Report

Congenital pseudodiverticula of the esophagus are very rare. This case report describes the presentation, management and histopathology of a peudodiverticulum of the cervical esophagus in a neonate. The infant presented with respiratory distress and a right neck mass that required surgical excision. Pathology revealed a pseudodiverticulum that contained ectopic thymic, thyroid, and parathyroid tissue within the wall of the lesion. The presence of ectopic tissues of branchial origin and an aberrant right subclavian artery suggest an error in branchial development and neural crest cell migration.

A Novel and Simple Method of Managing Thoracic Esophageal Perforation: The “ASSIST” Approach

Introduction Thoracic esophageal perforation (TEP) remains a therapeutic challenge that carries with it a high mortality. Because of its rare occurrence and management is complex, most patients are referred to higher level of care. Management is variable, ranging from a stent placement to an esophagectomy. Unfortunately, stent capabilities may not be readily available and the different surgical approaches can be complex, time-consuming, and demanding on a septic patient. Given these challenges, we conceived a simple 6-step (1) Antibiotics, (2) Suture the cervical esophagus with a 0- chromic, (3) Suture the abdominal esophagus with a 3-0 chromic, (4) Insert nasogastric tube above the sutured cervical esophagus, (5) Support nutrition with a jejunostomy, and (6) Tubes (placement of bilateral chest tubes). Methods Six consecutive septic patients with TEP who underwent an ASSIST approach were evaluated. On day 14, patients were taken to the OR for an esophagogastroduodenoscopy to open the cervical and hiatal esophageal closure. Patients then underwent a repeat barium swallow prior to resuming per oral (PO) intake. Results Sepsis resolved in all patients. One patient died of advanced cirrhosis. None of the living patients required additional surgery and all resumed a normal diet. Conclusions The “ASSIST” method is a viable option for managing septic patients with thoracic esophageal perforation. This novel approach does not require a high level of technical expertise and conceivably be performed by most centers without the need for immediate transfer to specialized facilities.

Three-step operation for esophago-left bronchial fistula with respiratory failure after esophagectomy: a case report with literature review

Background The development of esophago-bronchial fistula after esophagectomy and reconstruction using a posterior mediastinal gastric tube remains a rare complication associated with a high rate of mortality. Case presentation A 63-year-old man with esophageal cancer underwent a thoracoscopic esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection and reconstruction via a gastric tube through the posterior mediastinal route. Postoperatively, the patient developed extensive pyothorax in the right lung due to port site bleeding and hematoma infection. Four months after surgery, he developed an esophago-left bronchial fistula due to ischemia of the cervical esophagus and severe reflux esophagitis at the site of the anastomosis. Because of respiratory failure due to the esophago-bronchial fistula and the history of extensive right pyothorax, right thoracotomy and left one-lung ventilation were thought to be impossible, so we decided to perform the surgery in three-step systematically. First, we inserted a decompression catheter and feeding tube into the gastric tube as a gastrostomy and expected neovascularization to develop from the wall of the gastric tube through the anastomosis after this procedure. Second, 14 months after esophagectomy, we constructed an esophagostomy after confirming blood flow in the distal side of the cervical esophagus via gastric tube using intraoperative indocyanine green-guided blood flow evaluation. In the final step, we closed the esophagostomy and performed a cervical esophago-jejunal anastomosis to restore esophageal continuity using a pedicle jejunum in a Roux-en-Y anastomosis via a subcutaneous route. Conclusion This three-step operation can be an effective procedure for patients with esophago-left bronchial fistula after esophagectomy, especially those with respiratory failure and difficulty in undergoing right thoracotomy with left one-lung ventilation.

Cancer of Pharyngoesophageal Junction: A Different Subtype From Hypopharyngeal and Cervical Esophageal Cancer?

BackgroundSquamous cell cancers in the hypopharynx (HP) and cervical esophagus (CE) are different diseases with different staging systems and treatment approaches. Pharyngoesophageal junction (PEJ) tumor involves both the hypopharynx and the cervical esophagus simultaneously, but few reports focused on PEJ tumors. This study aimed to clarify clinical characteristics and the treatment approaches of PEJ tumors.Patients and MethodsA total of 222 patients with squamous cell carcinoma in the HP, PEJ, and CE were collected between January 2008 and June 2018 in Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. We compared different lymph node metastatic patterns of three diseases above and the survival of different tumor locations, different lymph node metastasis, and different radiotherapy approaches.ResultsFor HP, PEJ, and CE cancer, the upper and middle cervical lymph node metastatic rates were 85.7%, 47.1%, and 5.8%, respectively; the lower cervical lymph node metastatic rates were 36.7%, 42.9%, and 35.0%, respectively; and the mediastinal lymph node metastatic rates were 2.0%, 72.9%, and 80.6%, respectively. The 3-year overall survival rates were 69.5% in the HP group, 52.0% in the PEJ group, and 69.6% in the CE group (p = 0.024). No survival differences were found between the involved-field-irradiation and elective-node-irradiation subgroups among PEJ tumors (p = 0.717 for OS and p = 0.454 for PFS, respectively).ConclusionHP cancers had a high prevalence in all cervical lymph node metastases, while CE cancers had a lower prevalence in the cervical and mediastinal lymph node metastases. PEJ cancer had the combined metastatic patterns of both HP and CE cancers. Involved field irradiation was feasible in chemoradiotherapy for PEJ cancers.

Iatrogenic esophageal perforation with mediastinitis, multidisciplinary management: a case report

Acute mediastinitis is a low incidence pathology, but it is associated with a high mortality rate. Iatrogenic lesions are the most common cause of mediastinitis secondary to esophageal perforation. Early diagnosis and surgical treatment are the most important factors in the treatment of patients with this condition. 83-year-old female patient, with a history of left saphenectomy due to venous insufficiency with difficult intubation two days prior to the emergency consultation. She was admitted to the emergency room due to dyspnea, hemoptysis, chest pain, and right hemifacial edema. A chest tomography was performed with findings suggestive of esophageal perforation or airway injury. Later, in an upper digestive tract study, extravasation of the contrast medium was documented in the right posterolateral wall of the cervical esophagus with a collection in the middle mediastinum. The patient was taken for drainage of mediastinitis by right thoracoscopy and the presence of a perforation in the cervical esophagus was confirmed with an intraoperative endoscopy. Esophageal repair was performed, with drainage of the prevertebral space and the superior mediastinum by a left longitudinal cervicotomy. Postoperatively, she received antibiotic and enteral nutritional support by a nasojejunal tube. Low output fistula of the cervical esophagus, organized by a drain, was documented, which closed after 4 weeks of conservative management. Iatrogenic esophageal perforation with mediastinitis is a very rare entity with a high mortality. Early surgical treatment is the most important prognostic factor in patients with mediastinitis due to esophageal perforation.

About two options for intestinal plastics of the cervical esophagus

The experience of the General Surgery Clinic of the Military Medical Academy showed that the function of an artificial esophagus created from the large intestine is quite satisfactory. For six years in the General Surgery Clinic of the Military Medical Academy, colonic esophagoplasty for diseases of various parts of the esophagus was performed in 85 patients. For cicatricial (10 patients) or tumor (4 patients) lesions of the cervical esophagus, the large intestine on the vascular pedicle was used as a plastic material in 14 patients.

Free partial patch and partial tube jejunal graft transfers were used to reconstruct pharyngoesophageal defect: Our experience with three cases

Those patients with hypopharyngoesophageal cancer often sacrificed larynx before reconstruction using jejunum to restore the continuity of the digestive tract and allow oral alimentation. We retrospectively collected and analyzed three patients who underwent hypopharyngoesophageal reconstruction by free partial patch and partial tube jejunal graft transfer with reservation of laryngeal function caused by hypopharyngeal cancer invading the cervical esophagus. The partial patch and partial tube jejunal graft transfer survival rate was 100%(3/3). The larynx was reserved in the three patients. The partial patch and partial tube jejunal graft transfer is a safe and reliable choice for reconstruction of large and complex defects after pharyngectomy and cervical esophagectomy with larynx preserved.