Three-step operation for esophago-left bronchial fistula with respiratory failure after esophagectomy: a case report with literature review.

BACKGROUND: The development of esophago-bronchial fistula after esophagectomy and reconstruction using a posterior mediastinal gastric tube remains a rare complication associated with a high rate of mortality. CASE PRESENTATION: A 63-year-old man with esophageal cancer underwent a thoracoscopic esophagectomy with two-field lymph node dissection and reconstruction via a gastric tube through the posterior mediastinal route. Postoperatively, the patient developed extensive pyothorax in the right lung due to port site bleeding and hematoma infection. Four months after surgery, he developed an esophago-left bronchial fistula due to ischemia of the cervical esophagus and severe reflux esophagitis at the site of the anastomosis. Because of respiratory failure due to the esophago-bronchial fistula and the history of extensive right pyothorax, right thoracotomy and left one-lung ventilation were thought to be impossible, so we decided to perform the surgery in three-step systematically. First, we inserted a decompression catheter and feeding tube into the gastric tube as a gastrostomy and expected neovascularization to develop from the wall of the gastric tube through the anastomosis after this procedure. Second, 14 months after esophagectomy, we constructed an esophagostomy after confirming blood flow in the distal side of the cervical esophagus via gastric tube using intraoperative indocyanine green-guided blood flow evaluation. In the final step, we closed the esophagostomy and performed a cervical esophago-jejunal anastomosis to restore esophageal continuity using a pedicle jejunum in a Roux-en-Y anastomosis via a subcutaneous route. CONCLUSION: This three-step operation can be an effective procedure for patients with esophago-left bronchial fistula after esophagectomy, especially those with respiratory failure and difficulty in undergoing right thoracotomy with left one-lung ventilation.

Treatment Strategy for Cancer-associated Venous Thromboembolism During Chemotherapy: The Keep ACT2 Concept.

Background/Aim: The frequency of detecting cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (CAT) during chemotherapy is increasing. It is not desirable to discontinue chemotherapy for CAT. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of simultaneous progression of anticoagulant and anticancer therapy, focusing on drug interactions. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients with gastroenterological CAT from February 2017 to December 2020 at the Gifu University Hospital. When both chemotherapy and CAT treatments using edoxaban were performed in parallel and the thrombus disappeared, patients were defined as being Keep-ACT 2 (keeping anticancer therapy and anticoagulant therapy) successful. The effect and safety of treatment strategy focusing on cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolism using edoxaban were evaluated. Results: A total of 114 patients with CAT during chemotherapy were treated with edoxaban. Keep-ACT 2 was successful in 101 (88.6%) cases. Clinically relevant non-major bleeding was observed in 5 cases (4.4%). All 114 patients were using some drug affected by CYP metabolism, and the median number of affected cases was 5. Conclusion: Combined use of edoxaban for CAT may lead to sustainable therapy for gastroenterological cancer patients who are administered several drugs.