Abstract

Abstract Background Recently, indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging has been used to visualize the blood supply when anastomosis is performed in vascular surgery. We have reported the three blood supply routes to the reconstructed stomach using ICG fluorescence imaging for reconstruction during esophagectomy. Blood flow routes in the 33 patients with esophageal cancer were classified into categories on the basis of ICG imaging findings: the gastric wall route, the greater curvature route, and the omentum and splenic hiatal route. The gastric wall route was found in 13 patients and characterized by large blood vessels in the gastric wall. The greater curvature route was present in 11 patients and characterized by blood vessels in the greater omentum. The omentum and beside splenic hilum route was found in 22 patients. Blood vessels ran in the greater omentum beside the splenic hilum. a photodynamic eye (PDE) showed blood flow from right gastroepiploic artery, omentum vessels, left gastroepiploic artery, splenic hiatal vessels, short gastric artery, and gastric wall vessels to the top of the reconstructed stomach. The ‘splenic hiatal route’ was present in 66.7% of the patients and was formed by large vessels or networks of small vessels. We rechecked the ‘splenic hiatal route’ cases and recognize that the branch parted from the right gastroepiploic artery. We tried preservation of the ‘splenic hiatal route’. Methods Since January 2017, we have preserved the ‘splenic hiatal route’ and performed ICG fluorescence imaging in 5 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer who underwent thoracic esophagectomy. After pulling up the reconstructed stomach, 2.5 mg of ICG was injected as a bolus. ICG fluorescence imaging was performed with a near-infrared camera, and the images were recorded. Results ICG fluorescence was easily detected in all patients 1 min after injection. Vascular networks were well visualized in the gastric wall and omentum. The blood supply route was visualized the ‘splenic hiatal route’ in all patients. Conclusion On ICG fluorescence imaging, the splenic hiatal vessels would be the major blood supply for the anastomosis in most patients. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

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