Esophageal anastomosis - how the granulation phase of wound healing improves the incidence of anastomotic leakage

Distinctive characteristics of granulation tissue in laparotomy wounds with underlying oncological processes

This study aimed to investigate the effects of malignant neoplasms on the morphological characteristics of laparotomy wound granulation tissue in the muscular-aponeurotic layer. The study involved a sample of 34 deceased individuals who had undergone abdominal organ surgery. Biopsy samples were taken from the muscular-aponeurotic layer of the anterior abdominal wall and subjected to histological examination, including staining with hematoxylin and eosin and methylene blue/Chromotrope 2B using N.Z. Slinchenko's method. Descriptive methods and morphometry were used to evaluate pathomorphological changes. The results suggest that malignant neoplasms significantly impede and decelerate the maturation of laparotomy wound granulation tissue. Surgeries performed at the late stages of abdominal organ malignant neoplasms result in an uneven and slow maturation of the tissue, characterized by a higher prevalence of lymphoid cells, increased blood vessel volume, reduced optical density of stained collagen fibers, and pronounced chromotropophilia of collagen fibers. These distinct features should be considered to prevent postoperative eventration, a complication that is more likely to occur in this patient group. Clinicians should be aware of the possible consequences of malignant neoplasms on laparotomy wound granulation tissue, which may require additional measures to prevent postoperative complications in these patients.

A Scarless Healing Tale: Comparing Homeostasis and Wound Healing of Oral Mucosa With Skin and Oesophagus

Epithelial tissues are the most rapidly dividing tissues in the body, holding a natural ability for renewal and regeneration. This ability is crucial for survival as epithelia are essential to provide the ultimate barrier against the external environment, protecting the underlying tissues. Tissue stem and progenitor cells are responsible for self-renewal and repair during homeostasis and following injury. Upon wounding, epithelial tissues undergo different phases of haemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodelling, often resulting in fibrosis and scarring. In this review, we explore the phenotypic differences between the skin, the oesophagus and the oral mucosa. We discuss the plasticity of these epithelial stem cells and contribution of different fibroblast subpopulations for tissue regeneration and wound healing. While these epithelial tissues share global mechanisms of stem cell behaviour for tissue renewal and regeneration, the oral mucosa is known for its outstanding healing potential with minimal scarring. We aim to provide an updated review of recent studies that combined cell therapy with bioengineering exporting the unique scarless properties of the oral mucosa to improve skin and oesophageal wound healing and to reduce fibrotic tissue formation. These advances open new avenues toward the ultimate goal of achieving scarless wound healing.

Utility of repeated therapeutic endoscopies for pediatric esophageal anastomotic strictures

Anastomotic stricture is a common complication of esophageal atresia (EA) repair. Such strictures are managed with dilation or other therapeutic endoscopic techniques such as steroid injections, stenting, or endoscopic incisional therapy (EIT). In situations where endoscopic therapy is unsuccessful, patients with refractory strictures may require surgical stricture resection; however, the point at which endoscopic therapy should be abandoned in favor of repeat thoracotomy is unclear. We hypothesized that increasing numbers of therapeutic endoscopies are associated with increased likelihood of stricture resection. We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with EA who had an initial surgery at our institution resulting in an esophago-esophageal anastomosis between August 2005 and May 2019. Up to 2 years of post-surgery endoscopy data were collected, including exposure to balloon dilation, intralesional steroid injection, stenting, and EIT. Primary outcome was need for stricture resection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed. There were 171 patients who met inclusion criteria. The number of therapeutic endoscopies was a moderate predictor of stricture resection by ROC curve analysis (AUC = 0.720, 95% CI 0.617-0.823). With increasing number of therapeutic endoscopies, the probability of remaining free from stricture resection decreased. By Youden's J index, a cutoff of ≥7 therapeutic endoscopies was optimal for discriminating between patients who had versus did not have stricture resection, though an absolute majority of patients (≥50%) remained free of stricture resection at each number of therapeutic endoscopies through 12 endoscopies. Significant predictors of needing stricture resection by univariate regression included ≥7 therapeutic endoscopies, Foker surgery for long-gap EA, fundoplication, history of esophageal leak, and length of stricture ≥10 mm. Multivariate analysis identified only history of leak as statistically significant, though this regression was underpowered. The utility of repeated therapeutic endoscopies may diminish with increasing numbers of endoscopic therapeutic attempts, with a cutoff of ≥7 endoscopies identified by our single-center experience as our statistically optimal discriminator between having stricture resection versus not; however, a majority of patients remained free of stricture resection well beyond 7 therapeutic endoscopies. Though retrospective, this study supports that repeated therapeutic endoscopies may have clinical utility in sparing surgical stricture resection. Esophageal leak is identified as a significant predictor of needing subsequent stricture resection. Prospective study is needed.

Staged esophagectomy: surgical legacy or a bailout option?

Staged esophagectomy was developed in the mid-twentieth century in an attempt to reduce high rates of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Nowadays, the operation has almost been abandoned due to its significant disadvantages, especially the need for multiple surgeries, inability of patients to feed between operations, and morbidity of esophageal stoma. However, staged esophagectomy is still occasionally useful for very high-risk patients and in particular cases, for example multiple cancers of the aerodigestive tract and emergent esophagectomy. Staged esophagectomy is based on the division of surgical stress into two operations, which gives the patient time to recover before final restoration. Gastric tube ischemic preparation may be a more important mechanism in staged esophagectomy. This approach may survive and expand with the application of ischemic gastric pre-conditioning through embolization or laparoscopic ligation of the gastric arteries, which is a less explored and promising technique.

A nomogram illustrating the probability of anastomotic leakage following cervical esophagogastrostomy

BACKGROUND

Early diagnosis of anastomotic dehiscence following cervical esophagogastrostomy may become difficult. Estimation of an individual probability could help to establish preventive and diagnostic measures. The predictive impact of epidemiological, surgery-related data and laboratory parameters on the development of anastomotic dehiscence was investigated in the immediate perioperative period.

METHODS

Retrospective study in 412 patients with cervical esophagogastrostomy following esophagectomy. Epidemiological data, risk factors, underlying disease, pre-treatment- and surgery-related data, C-reactive protein and albumin levels pre-and post-operatively were evaluated. We applied univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis and developed a nomogram for individual risk assessment.

RESULTS

There were 345 male, 67 female patients, mean aged 61.5 years; 284 had orthotopic, 128 retrosternal gastric pull-up; 331 patients had carcinoma, 81 non-malignant disease. Mean duration of operation was 184 min; 235 patients had manual, 113 mechanical and 64 semi-mechanical suturing; 76 patients (18.5%) developed anastomotic dehiscence clinically evident at mean 11.4 days after surgery. In univariable testing young age, retrosternal conduit transposition, manual suturing, high body mass index, high ASA and high postoperative levels of C-reactive protein were predictors for anastomotic leakage. These six parameters which had yielded a p < 0.1 in the univariable analysis, were entered into a multivariable analysis and a nomogram allowing the determination of the patient's individual risk was created.

CONCLUSION

By using the nomogram as a supportive measure in the perioperative management, the patient's individual probability of developing an anastomotic leak could be quantified which may help to take preventive measures improving the outcome.

A new technology for reducing anastomotic fistula in the neck after esophageal cancer surgery

Background

To explore the risk factors and prevention methods of cervical mechanical anastomotic fistula and stenosis after the radical resection of esophageal cancer.

Methods

From March 2018 to November 2018, 128 patients undergoing mechanical anastomosis of esophageal cancer were selected from the Department of Thoracic Surgery of The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. All the enrolled patients were operated on using the Mckeown method, and a retrospective study was conducted. Data for preoperative and postoperative test indices, intraoperative embedding materials, postoperative complications, and preoperative and postoperative treatment were collected, and the relationship between various factors and the incidence of cervical anastomotic fistula and stenosis was analysed. Univariate analysis was conducted using t tests or Fisher's exact probability method, and multivariate analysis was conducted using logistic regression models.

Results

All 128 patients successfully underwent surgery without dying. The enrolled patients were evaluated using the Stooler classification, with 28 patients having grade 0, 41 patients having grade 1, 34 patients having grade 2, 21 patients having grade 3, and 4 patients having grade 4 stenosis. Patients with stenosis of grade 3 or above had obvious choking sensation, which could only be relieved by balloon dilation. Symptoms in all patients with stenosis were relieved by balloon dilation. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding embedding materials, preoperative choking history, history of alcohol consumption, history of hypertension, history of coronary heart disease, history of diabetes, postoperative calcium concentration, average albumin concentration, average platelet concentration, body mass index, anastomotic fistula, preoperative chemotherapy, postoperative chemotherapy, or postoperative cough (P>0.05). There were significant differences in postoperative reflux (χ²=11.338, P<0.05) and scar constitution (χ²=12.497, P<0.05). The effects of embedding materials in patients with anastomotic fistula were significantly different (χ²=4.372, P<0.05).

Conclusions

Postoperative reflux and scar constitution may be risk factors for postoperative anastomotic stenosis after resection of esophageal cancer. There was almost no difference in the effects on esophageal anastomotic stenosis between embedding materials and the omentum majus, but Neoveil^® may have certain advantages in preventing cervical anastomotic fistula, and thus may have certain clinical application value.