BACKGROUND: Thoracic duct injury (TDI) is a potentially lethal complication of esophagectomy. There is no consensus regarding when and how to intervene in these injuries. Both thoracic and abdominal approaches have been used. METHODS: Esophagectomies performed for cancer of the esophagus (n = 104) from October 2003 to July 2011 were analyzed for TDI. Diagnosis, histological type, stage, and location of tumor, neoadjuvant therapy, trans-thoracic or trans-hiatal procedure performed, nature and amount of drain output, and levels of triglyceride in the effluent were analyzed. Management of these injuries and morbidity and mortality associated with the approach taken were reviewed. RESULTS: We observed chylothorax in 9 patients. All nine patients had undergone trans-hiatal esophagectomy. All patients eventually required surgical intervention. Mass ligation of the thoracic duct was performed via the thoracic route in three patients and via the trans-abdominal approach in six others. Thoracic duct ligation was successful in all patients. One patient required a second laparotomy and repeat ligation of the duct. There were two postoperative deaths; both these patients had ligation by the thoracic route. CONCLUSIONS: Trans-abdominal ligation of the thoracic duct in patients with chylothorax after esophagectomy is technically easy and safe. It may be preferred over the trans-thoracic approach, especially after an initial trans-hiatal esophagectomy.
BACKGROUND: Thoracic duct injury (TDI) is a potentially lethal complication of esophagectomy. There is no consensus regarding when and how to intervene in these injuries. Both thoracic and abdominal approaches have been used. METHODS: Esophagectomies performed for cancer of the esophagus (n = 104) from October 2003 to July 2011 were analyzed for TDI. Diagnosis, histological type, stage, and location of tumor, neoadjuvant therapy, trans-thoracic or trans-hiatal procedure performed, nature and amount of drain output, and levels of triglyceride in the effluent were analyzed. Management of these injuries and morbidity and mortality associated with the approach taken were reviewed. RESULTS: We observed chylothorax in 9 patients. All nine patients had undergone trans-hiatal esophagectomy. All patients eventually required surgical intervention. Mass ligation of the thoracic duct was performed via the thoracic route in three patients and via the trans-abdominal approach in six others. Thoracic duct ligation was successful in all patients. One patient required a second laparotomy and repeat ligation of the duct. There were two postoperative deaths; both these patients had ligation by the thoracic route. CONCLUSIONS: Trans-abdominal ligation of the thoracic duct in patients with chylothorax after esophagectomy is technically easy and safe. It may be preferred over the trans-thoracic approach, especially after an initial trans-hiatal esophagectomy.
Authors: S Merigliano; D Molena; A Ruol; G Zaninotto; M Cagol; S Scappin; E Ancona Journal: J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Date: 2000-03 Impact factor: 5.209
Authors: Rachit D Shah; James D Luketich; Matthew J Schuchert; Neil A Christie; Arjun Pennathur; Rodney J Landreneau; Katie S Nason Journal: Ann Thorac Surg Date: 2012-01-15 Impact factor: 4.330
Authors: Sivesh K Kamarajah; Manjunath Siddaiah-Subramanya; Alessandro Parente; Richard P T Evans; Ademola Adeyeye; Alan Ainsworth; Alberto M L Takahashi; Alex Charalabopoulos; Andrew Chang; Atila Eroglue; Bas Wijnhoven; Claire Donohoe; Daniela Molena; Eider Talavera-Urquijo; Flavio Roberto Takeda; Gail Darling; German Rosero; Guillaume Piessen; Hans Mahendran; Hsu Po Kuei; Ines Gockel; Ionut Negoi; Jacopo Weindelmayer; Jari Rasanen; Kebebe Bekele; Guowei Kim; Lieven Depypere; Lorenzo Ferri; Magnus Nilsson; Frederik Klevebro; B Mark Smithers; Mark I van Berge Henegouwen; Peter Grimminger; Paul M Schneider; C S Pramesh; Raza Sayyed; Richard Babor; Shinji Mine; Simon Law; Suzanne Gisbertz; Tim Bright; Xavier Benoit D'Journo; Donald Low; Pritam Singh; Ewen A Griffiths Journal: Ann Surg Open Date: 2022-08-29