Late-onset anastomotic leak following sweet esophagectomy: A case report and review of the literature.

RATIONALE

Late-onset anastomotic leak (AL) is an uncommon but potentially lethal complication after esophagectomy.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 74-year-old male patient was readmitted due to chest distress and chills about 3 months after initial esophagectomy for cancer.

DIAGNOSES

The previous endoscopic biopsy revealed primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and sweet esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction was therefore performed. The patient developed AL 3 months after the surgery.

INTERVENTIONS

Naso-leakage extraluminal drainage tube was utilized because the symptoms of the patient were aggravated 1 month after the chest tube drainage since his second admission for AL.

OUTCOMES

Twenty-one days after naso-leakage extraluminal drainage, the computed tomography images showed the healing of the leakage. Then the patient was discharged from the hospital.

LESSONS

Late-onset AL should be kept in mind when the patient complained of chest distress and fever during the follow up after esophagectomy. In addition, naso-leakage extraluminal drainage could be considered for the treatment of AL. Further trials for better evidence are warranted.