A giant parastomal hernia in a high risk patient: preparation to make surgery worthwhile.

BACKGROUND: Parastomal hernia (PH) is a frequent and well-known complication of stoma placement. Most PHs are asymptomatic and those who are not are usually well tolerated by patients. Thus, watchful waiting is a common practice. Nevertheless, this management policy is associated with a risk of complications and with an inevitable risk of hernia enlargement, complicating its subsequent surgery. Moreover, PH can affect body image and alter the quality of life. METHODS: We herein present a complex case of a 67-year-old man with multiple comorbidities, who presented with an uncommon, below knee, giant PH, which was managed in a two-steps surgery by a multidisciplinary team comprising a senior digestive surgeon, experienced in abdominal wall repair, cardiologist, pulmonologist, anesthesiologist, psychiatrist, dietitian and physiotherapist. RESULT: Treatment started with 8 months hygienic measures comprising smoking cessation, strict control of diabetes and hypertension, a strict diet, and a physical fitness and pulmonary rehabilitation program. Two steps surgery started by colostomy transposition along with pre-peritoneal mesh repair to the right side and the second step consisted of a prophylactic PH repair using a Key-hole preperitoneal polypropelene mesh. CONCLUSION: PH is a common and sometimes inevitable complication of stoma creation. The success achieved by operating a heavily morbid patient, is only possible through the combined efforts of the multidisciplinary team and a preoperative rigorous management.

Esophageal cancer: Outcome and potential benefit of esophagectomy in elderly patients.

BACKGROUND: This analysis evaluated the morbimortality and the potential benefit of esophagectomy for cancer in elderly patients. METHODS: Patients who underwent esophagectomy for EC were divided into elderly (≥70 years) and nonelderly (<70 years) groups. The groups were compared regarding patient and tumor characteristics, postoperative morbimortality, and disease-free, overall and cancer-specific survival. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients were classified into elderly, and 187 into nonelderly groups. The elderly were characterized by a higher rate of WHO score (p < 0.0001), higher cardiac (p < 0.004) and renal (p < 0.023) comorbidities. The rate of neoadjuvant therapy and especially of neoadjuvant CRT was significantly lower in elderly patients (p < 0.018 and p < 0.007). Operative morbidity was also higher in this group (p < 0.024). The 30- and 90-day mortality was 8.2 and 11.5%, respectively in elderly patients and 0.5 and 3.2% in nonelderly patients (p < 0.004 and p < 0.012). This 90-day mortality decreased when specific surgery-related deaths were taken into consideration. OS and DFS were significantly better in the nonelderly group (p < 0.003 and p < 0.005) while no difference was observed for cancer-specific survival (CSS). CONCLUSION: No difference in CSS was observed. Although elderly patients with EC had higher postoperative morbimortality, the age should not be a criterion whether to perform, or not to perform, esophagectomy. This decision must be based on the balance between the patient's general condition and aggressive disease.

A Surgical Alternative in the Treatment of Recurrent Diaphragmatic Hernia after Total Gastrectomy.

Treament of hiatal hernia remains a challenge for surgeons. The techniques for treatment started with cruroplasty, which was later associated with extensive mobilization of the esophagus, with or without fundoplication. Other solutions included the use of synthetic or biological mesh and autologous tissue reinforcement. Despite these therapeutic strategies, the recurrence rate for hiatal hernia is significant, and no existing treatments have had much success in reducing this rate. Total gastrectomy, as in this case, represents an additional challenge because of the absence of gastric tissue, which can buttress the pillars' repair. This case report introduces a novel approach for the treatment of recurrent hiatal hernia, using a pedicled vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap.

The burden of low anterior resection syndrome on quality of life in patients with mid or low rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Low anterior resection (LAR) with total mesorectal excision (TME) for mid and low rectal cancer is standard of care, reducing local recurrence and enhancing long-term survival. However, this surgery is associated with a constellation of major defecatory problems that are collectively referred to as low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). The aims of this study were to evaluate the frequency of LARS in patients who have undergone LAR and to assess the impact of LARS on long-term quality of life (QoL). METHODS: This was a single-center prospective survey study on patients who underwent LAR and TME for low or mid rectal cancer between 2007 and 2015. LARS score and QLQ-C30 questionnaires were used to evaluate patient's bowel functions and quality of life, respectively. Associations between LARS and QoL were evaluated. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients out of 65 eligible agreed to participate in the study. Forty-three (66%) patients returned complete questionnaires. Five patients (11.6%) had no LARS, 7 had minor LARS (16.3%), and 31 had major LARS (72.1%). In univariate analysis, BMI > 30 kg/m2 was predictive of major LARS (p = 0.047). Major LARS did not impair global QoL (p = 0.75), function scores, or social scales, and was not associated with any of the symptom scores except for diarrhea (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: LARS is a frequent occurrence after LAR and TME for rectal cancer (72.1%) and is more prevalent in morbidly obese patients. However, the occurrence of LARS does not appear to have a direct impact on QoL except for the occurrence of diarrhea.

Hiatal hernia after oesophagectomy: a large European survey.

OBJECTIVES: Hiatal hernias (HH) after oesophagectomy are rare, and their surgical management is not well standardized. Our goal was to report on the management of HH after oesophagectomy in high-volume tertiary European French-speaking centres. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multicentre study among 19 European French-speaking departments of upper gastrointestinal and/or thoracic surgery. All patients scheduled or operated on for the repair of an HH after oesophagectomy were collected between 2000 and 2016. Demographics, details of the initial procedure, surgical management and long-term outcome were analysed. RESULTS: Seventy-nine of 6608 (1.2%) patients who had oesophagectomies were included in the study. The postoesophagectomy diagnostic interval of an HH after oesophagectomy was ≤90 days (n = 17; 21%), 13 were emergency cases; between 91 days and 1 year, n = 21 (27%), 13 in emergency; ≥1 year, n = 41 (52%), 17 in emergency. The time to occurrence of HH after oesophagectomy was shorter after laparoscopy (median 308 days; interquartile range 150-693) compared to that after laparotomy (median 562 days, interquartile range 138-1768; P = 0.01). The incidence of HH after oesophagectomy was 0.73% (22/3010) after open surgery and 1.4% (26/1761) after laparoscopy (P = 0.03). Among the 79 patients, 78 were operated on: 35 had laparotomies (45%), 19 had laparoscopies (24%) and 24 (31%) had transthoracic approaches. Among the 43 urgent surgeries, 35 were open (25 laparotomies and 10 transthoracic approaches) and 8 were laparoscopies (conversion rate, 25%). Nine patients required bowel resections. Morbidity occurred in 36 (46%) patients with 1 postoperative death (1.2%). During the follow-up period, recurrent HH after oesophagectomy requiring revisional surgery developed in 8 (6 days-26 months) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical management of HH after oesophagectomy could be done by laparoscopy in patients with scheduled surgery but laparotomy or thoracotomy was preferred in urgent situations. The incidence of HH after oesophagectomy is higher and its onset earlier when laparoscopy is used at the initial oesophagectomy.

Splenic epithelial cyst mistaken with Hydatid cyst: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Cystic lesions of the spleen are infrequent and usually diagnosed incidentally. These lesions are rare and their differential diagnosis is very wide. Splenic epithelial cysts are the most common type of primary splenic cyst (4%). Surgical treatment is indicated for cysts larger than 5 cm or symptomatic. Nowadays, spleen preserving surgery is the gold standard treatment considering the immunologic role of the spleen and the increased risk of post-splenectomy infections. CASE PRESENTATION: A 17 year old girl presented to the outpatient clinic with moderate left upper quadrant abdominal pain of 2 weeks duration with loss of appetite and denied fever, chills, sweating and jaundice. Abdominal examination showed tender splenomegaly. The abdominal imaging (Ultrasound, CT SCAN, MRI) was suggestive of hydatid cyst of the spleen, for which she received Albendazole for 1 month and then operated by laparotomy with partial resection and un-roofing of the splenic cyst. The pathology report showed a splenic epithelial cyst (SEC). CONCLUSION: SEC is a rare pathology that could mimic splenic hydatid cyst. The clinical and radiological pictures may be commonly misleading and non-conclusive. Definitive diagnosis is made on histopathology. Spleen conserving surgery, when possible, is the preferred modality for treatment.

A rare presentation of IgG4 related disease as a gastric antral lesion: Case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Immunoglobulin G4 related disease is a recently recognized systemic fibro-inflammatory disorder affecting virtually every organ in the body, characterized by lympho-plasmacytic dense infiltrates rich in IgG4 positive plasmacytes along with storiform fibrosis, inconstantly associated with elevated serum IgG4 levels. Few cases of Immunoglobulin G4 related disease occurring solely in the stomach have been published. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We herein present a rare case of a 57 year old male patient presenting with an incidentally discovered asymptomatic pre-pyloric submucosal gastric lesion confused with a gastro-intestinal stromal tumor with failed endoscopic biopsy attempts due to tumor mobility. The patient underwent wedge resection of the lesion which was diagnosed postoperatively as Immunoglobulin G4 related disease. DISCUSSION: Immunoglobulin G4 related disease presenting as a solitary lesion in the stomach is a very rare condition. It should be kept in the differential diagnosis of a submucosal mass or polyp. The treatment is medical with systemic steroid therapy. CONCLUSION: Obtaining a tissue biopsy is of extreme importance to avoid unnecessary surgery.

Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging for sentinel lymph node detection in colorectal cancer: A systematic review.

Indocyanine green fluorescence-imaging (ICG-FI) has emerged as a potential tool for increasing the accuracy of staging of patients with primary colorectal cancer (CRC) through the detection of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). Here, we report the results of a systematic review of the available literature in the clinical setting of ex vivo and in vivo ICG-FI for the detection of SLNs in primary colorectal cancer. PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane literature databases were searched for original articles on the use of ICG in the setting of clinical studies of CRC. Eighty studies were identified and screened, 23 were assessed for eligibility and 10 were included for review. Both ex vivo and in vivo ICG-FI are reported to be feasible for the detection of SLNs in CRC. The reported sensitivity of both techniques remains low, varying from 0% to 100% for the in vivo technique and 57% for the ex vivo technique. ICG-FI has not yet been shown to perform better than the standard blue dye technique. In addition, large variability among reported studies in terms of techniques used (ICG dose, type of injection), type of pathologic analyses performed (HE, IHC, serial section), and definition of positive LN status for sensitivity calculations made them difficult to compare directly. ICG-FI is a promising technique for the detection of SLNs in the setting of CRC but more work needs to be done to clearly define protocols and indications for its use and to test its efficacy in larger patient populations.

The potential benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is not predicted by tumor regression grade.

INTRODUCTION: Recommended treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT) followed by surgery and total mesorectal excision (TME). The role of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in this regimen is still debated. Assessment of Dworak's tumor regression grade (TRG) after NACRT could potentially select patients who might benefit from ACT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data for patients who underwent NACRT and TME for LARC between 2007 and 2014 were retrieved from the Bordet Institute database. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated for the whole population, according to whether or not they received ACT, and according to TRG. RESULTS: We included 74 patients (38 males) with a median age of 62.7 years (33-84 years). AJCC stage cIIIb disease was the most frequent (73%). Pathologic complete response (pCR) was achieved in 13 patients (17.6%). ACT was administered to 42 patients (56.8%). Five-year OS and DFS of patients who received ACT or not were 92 and 84.5% (p = ns), and 79.9 and 84.8% (p = ns), respectively. OS was related to TRG (cut-off value of 3) (p = 0.001). ACT administration was not correlated with improved outcomes in any TRG groups. CONCLUSION: TRG is a prognostic factor for both OS and DFS but does not appear to have a significant benefit for the selection of patients with LARC treated with NACRT who might benefit from the administration of ACT. Prospective randomized trials with larger populations are needed to identify factors that predict which patients may benefit from the administration of ACT.

Schwannoma of the colon and rectum: a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Schwannomas of the colon and rectum are rare among gastrointestinal schwannomas. They are usually discovered incidentally as a submucosal mass on routine colonoscopy and diagnosed on pathologic examination of the operative specimen. Little information exists on the diagnosis and management of this rare entity. The aim of this study is to report a case of cecal schwannoma and the results of a systematic review of colorectal schwannoma in the literature. MAIN BODY: PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane database searches were performed for case reports and case series of colonic and rectal schwannoma. Ninety-five patients with colonic or rectal schwannoma from 70 articles were included. Median age was 61.5 years (59% female). Presentation was asymptomatic (28%), rectorrhagia (23.2%), or abdominal pain (15.8%). Schwannoma occurred in the left and sigmoid colon in 36.8%, in the cecum and right colon in 30.5%, and in the rectum in 21.1%. Median tumor size was 3 cm and 56.2% of patients who underwent preoperative colonoscopy had a typical smooth submucosal mass. At pathology, 97.9, 13.7, and 5.3% of schwannomas stained positive for S100, vimentin, and GFAP, respectively. The median mitotic index was 1/50. CONCLUSIONS: Colorectal schwannoma is a very rare subtype of gastrointestinal schwannoma which occurs in the elderly, almost equally in men and women. Schwannoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of a submucosal lesion along with gastrointestinal stromal tumor, neuro-endocrine tumors, and leiomyoma-leiomyosarcoma. Definitive diagnosis is based on immunohistochemistry of the operative specimen. Rarely malignant, surgery is the mainstay of treatment.

Different laparoscopic treatment modalities for splenic artery aneurysms: about 3 cases with review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: The first laparoscopic treatment of splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) was performed in 1993. Since then, many papers have been published mentioning different laparoscopic treatment modalities, including splenectomy, aneurysmectomy, ligation or even occlusion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An updated literature review of the English medical literature using the following MeSH, 'Lapaorscopic splenic artery aneurysm', 'laparoscopic aneurysectomy', 'Laparoscopic Splenic artery Aneurysm Ligation' and 'Laparoscopic Splenic artery aneurysm excision' was done. Also three cases performed at our institutions are discussed, in terms of techniques, morbidity, mortality and postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: About eight case series and 16 case reports were retrieved from the literature. Different techniques were described by the authors, including splenectomy, aneurysmectomy, splenic aneurysm ligation or even occlusion. Few morbidity cases were reported and none of the authors has mentioned a single mortality case. In our three cases, the postoperative course was uneventful, with good long-term results. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the variations in the adopted operative techniques, the laparoscopic approach seems to be harmless. However, no treatment algorithm or consensus has been published.

Accuracy of FDG-PET/CT in Colorectal Peritoneal Carcinomatosis: Potential Tool for Evaluation of Chemotherapeutic Response.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be administered to patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) of colorectal cancer (CRC) origin. This study evaluated the performance of 18fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET)/computed tomography (CT) in detection of PC from CRC and correlated the most metabolically active quadrant with the most affected peritoneal area determined during surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective study compared the performance of FDG-PET/CT for PC diagnosis in 26 patients with CRC with histopathologically-confirmed PC with a control group of 26 patients. An FDG-PET/CT score established for each patient diagnosed with PC was compared with the peritoneal cancer index (PCI) performed during surgery. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of FDG-PET/CT for PC detection were 85% (22/26) and 88% (23/26), respectively. The most scored quadrant by FDG-PET/CT corresponded to the most scored quadrant at surgery in 77.3%. CONCLUSION: FDG-PET/CT may represent a useful tool for evaluating response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with PC of CRC origin.

Salvage esophagectomy after failure of definitive radiochemotherapy for esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Definitive radiochemotherapy (dRCT) in locally advanced esophageal cancer is associated with a high rate of loco-regional recurrence. In this condition, salvage esophagectomy may be considered as a therapeutic option. The aim of this analysis is to evaluate the feasibility and the morbi-mortality of this strategy. METHODS: Between January 2006 and April 2014, 208 patients underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer at ULB-Erasme-Bordet. Thirty-two patients received a preoperative radiochemotherapy (pRCT) followed by planned esophagectomy (Group 1) for locally advanced disease. Sixteen patients underwent salvage esophagectomy for recurrence or failure after dRCT (Group 2). Data on post-operative morbidity and mortality and survival were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: An increase of overall morbidity was detected in Group 2 as compared to Group 1 (43% vs. 37.5%), mainly related to respiratory complications (35.5% vs. 28%) and anastomotic leak (25% vs. 3%). No 90-days mortality was observed in the two surgical groups. The 1, 2, and 3-year survival rates after surgery were respectively 89%, 80%, and 71% for Group1 and 84%, 73%, and 63% for Group 2. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, both salvage esophagectomy and esophagectomy after pRCT showed good survival results with low postoperative morbidity and mortality. Salvage surgery remains a therapeutic indication in selected patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:833-837. © 2016 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sentinel Lymph Node Detection by Blue Dye Versus Indocyanine Green Fluorescence Imaging in Colon Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Nodal staging is used in colorectal cancer (CRC) to determine which patients should receive adjuvant chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging (ICG-FI) in sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection compared to the standard technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with CRC admitted for elective colectomy were included (NCT01995591). Ex vivo SLN detection was performed using patent blue (PB) and free ICG injected around the tumor. RESULTS: Identification rates were 95% (19/20) for both techniques. Sensitivity was 43% for PB and 57% for ICG. Correlation between the techniques was 83%. FI was more sensitive in patients with body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m(2) Serial section analysis did not allow for up-staging of patients. CONCLUSION: The use of ICG-FI is superior to the blue dye technique in patients with a BMI >25 kg/m(2) However, the sensitivity of ICG-FI in SLN detection remains low, with a high rate of false-negative results.

Evaluation of the perceptions and cosmetic satisfaction of breast cancer patients undergoing totally implantable vascular access device (TIVAD) placement.

PURPOSE: Totally implantable vascular access devices (TIVADs) are widely used to administer chemotherapy to cancer patients. While great progress has been made with respect to breast surgical reconstruction to take into account both aesthetics and patients' perceptions of body integrity, these aspects have not been considered with regard to the impact of TIVAD. In order to address this practice gap, we have adapted our TIVAD implantation technique to improve cosmetic results. The aim of this study was to assess breast cancer patients' comfort level and aesthetic satisfaction with regard to TIVAD insertion. METHODS: Patients with breast cancer admitted for chemotherapy at an outpatient clinic completed a previously validated survey evaluating three main domains: symptoms (pain, discomfort) related to the TIVAD itself in daily activity, information received before and during the surgical procedure, and cosmetic aspects regarding the port insertion site (scar, port, and catheter location). RESULTS: Between September 2010 and June 2011, 232 patients were evaluated. Cosmetic satisfaction with scar location was high (93.3 %). Information given to patients before and during the procedure had a major impact on both symptom perception in daily activity and on cosmetic satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Obtaining a more aesthetic scar by placing the TIVAD in the deltopectoral groove contributed to a high rate of cosmetic satisfaction. Furthermore, the relevance of information given to patients before and/or during surgery had a major impact on symptom perception. Therefore, we suggest including a pre-operative information session in the care pathway.

Intraperitoneal mesh prosthesis metastasis from pancreatic cancer, after laparoscopic hernia repair.

Introduction There are very few case reports of metastasis on a mesh prosthesis following laparoscopic hernia repair in the literature and its incidence is completely unknown. Case report A 76-year-old male patient presented in December 2013 with a suspicious malignant lesion of the pancreatic tail on the MRI. He was also complaining of a painful mass in the right para-rectal area. An exploratory laparoscopy performed in December 2013 revealed microscopic whitish peritoneal implants in the left hypochondrium and a massive metastasis involving a mesh prosthesis placed é years before in the right para-rectal area. The pathology report of biopsies of the mesh confirmed a metastasis compatible with a pancreatic tumor. Discussion Possible modes of metastasis and limited published data to date on mesh prosthesis metastasis are presented. This situation can be assimilated to port-site metastasis after laparoscopy. Conclusion A mesh prosthesis metastasis after laparoscopic hernia repair is very rare.

Ex vivo detection of tumoral lymph nodes of colorectal origin with fluorescence imaging after intraoperative intravenous injection of indocyanine green.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging after intraoperative intravenous (IV) injection for the "ex vivo" detection of metastatic lymph nodes (mLNs) of colorectal cancer origin. METHODS: Fresh-fixed LNs in cassettes and/or paraffin-embedded LNs of patients included in a study that evaluated the role of ICG in the detection of peritoneal metastases of colorectal origin (Protocol NCT-01995591) were further explored with a dedicated near-infrared camera system for their fluorescence. An IV injection of ICG was delivered intraoperatively at 0.25 mg/kg. Signal to background ratios (SBRs) were calculated. RESULTS: LNs on operative specimens were evaluated for 12 patients (5 males, 7 females). A total of 182 LNs were analyzed. The mean LN number per patient was 15.2 (median: 15.5; range 3-22). SBRs of mLNs were significantly more fluorescent than benign LNs, 1.41 versus 1.04 arbitrary units (P < 0.0002). On univariate analysis, fluorescence was statistically correlated with LN surface area (>20 mm(2) ) (P < 0.0004). CONCLUSION: Ex vivo ICG fluorescence imaging after intraoperative IV injection represents a potential method for detecting invaded LN's of colorectal cancer origin on operative specimens. Further clinical studies are needed to better define optimal techniques. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:348-353. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diffuse intra-abdominal low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma with hepatic metastases: Case report and review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS)(1) is a rare soft tissue tumor involving deep soft tissues of the extremities and trunk. Abdominal location is extremely uncommon in which the few cases published in the literature are characterized by slow tumoral progression and long recurrence-free intervals. METHODS: We report the first case of an intra-abdominal LGFMS which was discovered incidentally in a 42-year-old woman presenting diffuse peritoneal nodules and hepatic metastasis on CT and MRI scans. RESULTS: The patient was successfully treated through conservative measures and remained asymptomatic at the 48 month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first reported case of LGFMS with peritoneal and hepatic metastases. Despite the discovery of an advance disease at exploration, the patient who refused a major surgical operation presents an uneventful follow-up and long term survival.

Impact of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy on postoperative outcomes after esophageal cancer resection: results of a European multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) on anastomotic leakage (AL) and other postoperative outcomes after esophageal cancer (EC) resection. BACKGROUND: Conflicting data have emerged from randomized studies regarding the impact of NCRT on AL. METHODS: Among 2944 consecutive patients operated on for EC between 2000 and 2010 in 30 European centers, patients treated by NCRT after surgery (n=593) were compared with those treated by primary surgery (n=1487). Multivariable analyses and propensity score matching were used to compensate for the differences in some baseline characteristics. RESULTS: Patients in the NCRT group were younger, with a higher prevalence of male sex, malnutrition, advanced tumor stage, squamous cell carcinoma, and surgery after 2005 when compared with the primary surgery group. Postoperative AL rates were 8.8% versus 10.6% (P=0.220), and 90-day postoperative mortality and morbidity rates were 9.3% versus 7.2% (P=0.110) and 33.4% versus 32.1% (P=0.564), respectively. Pulmonary complication rates did not differ between groups (24.6% vs 22.5%; P=0.291), whereas chylothorax (2.5% vs 1.2%; P=0.020), cardiovascular complications (8.6% vs 0.1%; P=0.037), and thromboembolic events (8.6% vs 6.0%; P=0.037) were higher in the NCRT group. After propensity score matching, AL rates were 8.8% versus 11.3% (P=0.228), with more chylothorax (2.5% vs 0.7%; P=0.030) and trend toward more cardiovascular and thromboembolic events in the NCRT group (P=0.069). Predictors of AL were high American Society of Anesthesiologists scores, supracarinal tumoral location, and cervical anastomosis, but not NCRT. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy does not have an impact on the AL rate after EC resection (NCT 01927016).