PS01.034: GENDER AND BODY MASS INDEX HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON DELAYED GASTRIC EMPTYING FOLLOWING ESOPHAGECTOMY AND GASTRIC PULL-UP

Abstract

Abstract Background Delayed gastric emptying is a common feature after gastric pull-up for reconstruction following esophagectomy. Symptoms range from mild discomfort to life-threatening recurrent aspiration. Apart from the well-known and technically inevitable truncal vagotomy neither causative factors nor effective preventive measures have been clearly identified. Methods We did a retrospective study in 381 patients (317 males, 64 females; age: 22 -88 years; mean: 62,4 years), who underwent esophagectomy and gastric pull-up with cervical esophagogastrostomy between 1/2008 and 12/2017. During this period the surgical technique had been the same except that in the first phase no intervention at the pylorus had been done (N = 207), whereas in the second pyloromytomy (N = 97) and in the third (N = 110) intrapyloric injection of Botulinum-toxin was performed. Delayed gastric emptying was diagnosed by distension of the conduit with an air-fluid level on chest roentgenogram, and by symptoms and signs of regurgitation or vomiting in absence of other bowel obstruction. 122 patients had retrosternal pull-up due to transmural tumour growth or lymph-nodes, in 259 the orthotopic route was chosen. All patients were followed-up for at least three months after the operation. Results 56 patients (14,7%) developed delayed gastric emptying. Neither pyloromytomy nor injection of Botox had any effect as compared with the patients in the no-intervention period. The route of gastric pull-up had no influence either. In women (N = 15; 23,4%), however, delayed gastric emptying was significantly more frequent than in men (N = 41; 12,9%; P = 0.03). Moreover, the Body Mass Index (BMI) of patients with delayed gastric emptying (BMI = 26.6) was significantly higher than in those who had not (BMI = 24,7; P = 0.03). By multivariate analysis the influence of gender and BMI on the development of delayed gastric emptying remained significant. Conclusion The results of our single center retrospective analysis may show that both, gender and BMI might significantly influence the development of postoperative delayed gastric emptying after esophagectomy and reconstruction by gastric pull-up. For a better understanding and management of delayed gastric emptying prospective trials with larger numbers of patients are definitely needed. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.