Intraoperative Intraluminal Endoscopy in the Surgical Treatment of Patients with Esophageal Diverticula of Various Localization

Aim. To improve the results of surgical treatment of patients with esophageal diverticulum of various localization using intraoperative intraluminal endoscopy.

Materials and Methods: The Department of Surgery of the Esophagus and Stomach, the Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery, has accumulated a large experience in treating diverticulosis patients. Thus, during the 2010–2018 period, 74 patients with esophageal diverticula of various localization were operated. Out of them, 56 (75.7 %), 10 (13.5 %) and 8 (10.8 %) patients underwent surgical treatment with respect to faringo-esophageal, bifurcation and epiphrenic diverticula, respectively. The patients were divided into two groups: 31 people (41.9 %) in the main group underwent diverticulectomy with intraoperative intraluminal endoscopic assistance (IVEA), while 43 (58.1 %) people in the control group underwent diverticulectomy without IVEA. Intraoperatively, at the stage of discovering diverticulum, the endoscopist applied transillumination and air insufflation in the cavity of the diverticulum, followed by controlling the mobilization of diverticulum. At the resection stage, the completeness of the surgical removal was controlled, along with the absence of esophageal lumen narrowing after sewing the neck of the diverticulum using a linear stapler.

Results. The average duration of the operation in patients with Zenker’s diverticula and those in the control group was 45.5 ± 8.8 min and 73.8 ± 12.7 min (p < 0.05), respectively. In patients with the diverticula of the middle and lower third of the esophagus, the average surgery duration was equal to 120.3 ± 11.2 min and 150.5 ± 17.3 (p <0.05) min in the main and control groups, respectively. Radiological examination 2–3 days after surgery revealed no complications in the main group. In the control group, 2 (4.7 %) patients showed a small leakage of the contrast agent outside the esophagus (stopped conservatively). Signs of mild dysphagia when taking solid foods were detected in 1 (2.4 %) patient of the control group. This condition was associated with excessive ingress of the esophageal wall into the apparatus suture, which led to a slight narrowing of its lumen. No patients with dysphagia in the postoperative period were recorded in the main group.

Conclusion: The combination of surgical treatment of esophageal diverticula with IVEA allows the duration of surgery to be optimized, deformation of the esophageal lumen to be avoided, possible complications to be minimized, thereby improving the results of surgical treatment. 

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