P16 PREEMPTIVE ENDOLUMINAL VACUUM THERAPY TO REDUCE ANASTOMOTIC LEAKAGE AFTER ESOPHAGECTOMY: A GAME-CHANGING APPROACH?

Abstract

Abstract Background Endoluminal vacuum therapy (EVT) is an accepted treatment for anastomotic leakage (AL) after esophagectomy. A novel concept is to use this technology in a preemptive setting, with the aim to reduce AL rate and postoperative morbidity. Methods Preemptive EVT (pEVT) was performed intraoperatively in 19 consecutive patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy, immediately after completion of esophago-gastrostomy. Twelve patients (63%) were high-risk cases with severe comorbidity. The EVT device was removed routinely three to six (median 5) days after esophagectomy. Endpoints of this study were AL rate and postoperative morbidity. Results There were 20 anastomoses at risk in 19 patients. One patient (5.3%) experienced major morbidity (Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb) unrelated to anastomotic healing. He underwent open re-anastomosis at postoperative day 12 with pEVT for redundancy of the gastric tube and failure of transition to oral diet. Mortality after 30 days was 0% and anastomotic healing was uneventful in 19/20 anastomoses (95%). One minor contained AL healed after a second course of EVT. Except early proximal dislodgement in one patient, there were no adverse events attributable to pEVT. The median comprehensive complication index 30 days after surgery was 20.9 (IQR 0-26.2). Conclusions PEVT appears to be a novel and safe procedure that may have the potential to improve surgical outcome in patients undergoing esophagectomy.