497. INDOCYANINE GREEN FLUORESCENCE ANGIOGRAPHY VERSUS VISUAL ASSESSMENT FOR GASTRIC CONDUIT PERFUSION ASSESSMENT IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING ESOPHAGECTOMY: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

Abstract

Abstract Esophago-gastric anastomosis leakage is one of most feared complication after esophagectomy accountable for major postoperative morbidity and mortality. The high rate of anastomotic complications is due the tenuous perfusion of gastric conduit. This prospective randomized control trial compares the efficacy of intraoperative indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA) against visual assessment (VA) in evaluating the perfusion of gastric conduit and proximal esophageal stump in patients undergoing esophagectomy for cancer. Fifty eight consecutive patients who underwent esophagectomy for carcinoma middle, lower third esophagus or gastro-esophageal junction from January 2020 till September 2021 were enrolled. Amongst them 30 patients were randomized to non ICG arm where the perfusion of gastric conduit and esophageal stump was evaluated by visual assessment (VA) based on inspection of the color, the palpation of warmth, pulse, and bleeding from the edges and 28 patients to ICG arm underwent initial appraisal of gastric conduit and esophageal stump perfusion was done by visual assessment followed by ICG-FA. Correlation coefficient was evaluated by Pearson’s R coefficient. Both the groups were similar in demographic parameters. The anastomotic leak was significantly lower in ICG arm [4 % vs 8/28 (27 %) p 0.0261]. Most of the leaks were minor type 1. When visual assessment was compared with ICG assessment, 80% of the vascularized conduits on VA showed good perfusion on ICG-FA. 39% of gastric conduit which seemed to be dusky on VA had good vascularity on ICG-FA. Kappa value was 0.256 p 0.097 i.e., a fair agreement between ICG and visual assessment in evaluating vascularity of gastric conduit was fair. VA of the gastric conduit perfusion can underrate perfusion and hence can jeopardize removal of the devitalized part. ICG fluorescence imaging is an accurate and promising means to ascertain the vascularity of gastric conduit during an esophagectomy. But its utility needs to be validated in larger randomized trials.