Does esophagogastric anastomotic technique influence the outcome of patients with esophageal cancer?

OBJECTIVE

We sought to compare the outcome of patients with esophageal cancer who had either modified Collard or standard hand-sewn cervical esophagogastric anastomoses in reconstruction during esophagectomy.

METHODS

From March of 1996 to October of 2002, 274 patients with esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy with gastric replacement and cervical esophagogastric anastomosis. Beginning in March of 2001, a modified Collard technique (stapled) was used in most patients (n = 86) for cervical esophagogastric anastomosis; a standard hand-sewn technique (sewn) was used in all others (n = 188). Using a propensity score based on 8 variables (age, gender, race, surgeon, surgical approach, pathologic stage, histologic cell type, and induction chemoradiotherapy), 85 patient pairs were matched and followed for time-related events. Outcome comparisons included cervical wound infection, cervical anastomotic leak, other hospital complications, length of stay, anastomotic dilatation, reflux symptoms, and survival.

RESULTS

At 30 days, freedom from cervical wound infection was 92% for stapled versus 71% for sewn anastomoses ( P = .001), and freedom from cervical anastomotic leak was 96% versus 89% ( P = .09), respectively. Other hospital complications occurred in 58% and 49%, respectively ( P = .17). Median length of stay was 10 days for both ( P = .3). At 2 years, freedom from anastomotic dilatation was 34% for stapled versus 10% for sewn anastomoses ( P < .0001), and the mean number of dilatations per patient was 2.4 versus 4.1 ( P = .0001), respectively. Reflux was rare for both. Thirty-day, 6-month, and 24-month survivals were 98%, 91%, and 77% for stapled anastomoses and 98%, 88%, and 69% for sewn anastomoses ( P = .3).

CONCLUSIONS

The modified Collard anastomotic technique dramatically reduces morbidity after esophagectomy. It should replace hand-sewn esophagogastric anastomoses.