Surgical experience of the national institution in the treatment of Zenker's diverticula.

AIM: To review the 8-year experience of the Department of Esophagogastric Surgery, First Surgical University Hospital in Belgrade in the surgical management of Zenker's diverticula (ZD). METHODS: Between January 2000 and January 2009, 52 patients underwent surgical procedure for the treatment of ZD. Complete preoperative workup including the symptom evaluation and large variety of structural and functional diagnostic procedures were conducted before the surgery. After the operative treatment patients underwent detailed follow-up in regular intervals up to 3 years. RESULTS: Preoperative evaluation marked higher incidence of hiatal hernia and pathologic gastroesophageal reflux (GER) among the patients with ZD then in normal population. According to the preoperative evaluation and size of diverticula, as well as due to the intraopertive findings, a variety of surgical procedures were performed, including myotomy alone (n = 2), diverticulopexy and myotomy (n = 36) and diverticulectomy and myotomy (n = 14). Regardless of the operative treatment no salivary cervical fistulas were observed. Late and early postoperative results revealed low incidence in postoperative transitory dysphagia or regurgitation. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that the open surgical procedures are safe and effective in the treatment of ZD. Cricopharyngeal myotomy remains the essential focus of treatment, while the choice of resecting or suspending the diverticulum is brought upon its size. Complete preoperative investigation must be conducted in ZD patients, and the role of pathologic GER must be taken into account when we discuss the origin of this disorder.

Colon interposition in the treatment of esophageal caustic strictures: 40 years of experience.

The objective of this article was to analyze 40 years of experience of colon interposition in the surgical treatment of caustic esophageal strictures from the standpoints of our long-term personal experience. Colon interposition has proved to be the most suitable type of reconstruction for esophageal corrosive strictures. The choice of colon graft is based on the pattern of blood supply, while the type of anastomosis is determined by the stricture level and the part of colon used for reconstruction. In the period between 1964 and 2004, colon interposition was performed in 336 patients with a corrosively scared esophagus, using the left colon in 76.78% of the patients. In 87.5% a colon interposition was performed, while in the remaining patients an additional esophagectomy with colon interposition had to be done. Hypopharyngeal strictures were present in 24.10% of the patients. Long-term follow-up results were obtained in the period between 1 to up to 30 years. Early postoperative complications occurred in 26.48% of patients, among which anastomosic leakage was the most common. The operative mortality rate was 4.16% and late postoperative complications were present in 13.99% of the patients. A long-term follow up obtained in 84.82% of the patients found excellent functional results in 75.89% of them. We conclude that a colon graft is an excellent esophageal substitute for patients with esophageal corrosive strictures, and when used by experienced surgical teams it provides a low rate of postoperative morbidity and mortality, and long-term good and functional quality of life.

[Hiatal hernia of the esophagus and GERD as a cause of hemorrhage].

Bleeding complications arise in 1/4 of patients with hiatal hernia and GERD, and are the cause in 10% of all acute and 1/3 of chronic foregut bleedings. Most common bleeding disorders directly related to hiatal hernia and GERD are: hiatal hernia ulcers, erosive esophagitis, esophageal ulcers, peptic strictures and Barrett esophagus. The aim of this review article is to point out a significance of proper diagnosis and treatment for conditions bonded with hiatal hernia and GERD which can lead to severe esophageal bleedings. Detailed etiology, incidence, diagnostic algorithm and treatment of Cameron lesions, prolapse gastropathy, erosive esophagitis, peptic esophageal ulcers and postoperative complications related to hiatal hernia and GERD are presented in this article.

[History of the evolution of surgical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease]. / Istorijska evolucija hirurskog lecenja gastroezofagealne refluksne bolesti.

The GERD has probably existed since the beginning of mankind but it took several millennia since any perception or knowledge of this disease started to evolve. Homo est quod est--the man is what he eats is an old Latin proverb and heartburn has been one of the most common documented symptoms in humans in the last two centuries. The term peptic esophagitis has been introduced in 1935, but the evolution of knowledge of pathogenesis, incidence, complications and way of treatment of GERD has been quite slow. In the last decade several new aspects of these problem have evolved and probably explained many unanswered questions of this very common and sometimes severe disease.

[Surgical management of long-term complications after dermatojejunoplasty of corrosive esophageal strictures]. / Hirursko lecenje kasnih komplikacija dermato-jejuno plastika kod korozivnih stenoza jednjaka.

Authors present their experience in treatment of the long term complications after Lexer-Judin and Lexer-Judin-Papo operations. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these procedures. In the period from 1977 to 2003 in the Institute for digestive diseases 16 patients had to be operated because of the stenosis in the region of dermato-jejunal anastomosis or because of the bad esthetic results of this operations. They suggest that the extirpation of dermal tube, mobilisation of the jejunum and new pharyngo-jejunal anastomosis is the operation of choice.

[Surgical treatment of cardial carcinoma]. / Hirursko lecenje karcinoma kardije.

In the period from 1970 to 1996, in the Departmenf of Esophagogastric Surgery, Belgrade, Yugoslavia 562 have been operated with curative intent due to cardiac carcinoma. Since 1970 until 1985, in 182 patients a distal esophagectomy and proximal gastrectomy followed by eosphagogastro anastomosis had been performed. In the period between 1982 and 1996, a distal esophagectomy with total gastrectomy and radical or extended radical dissection and intrathoracic esophagojejuno anastomosis in 380 patients (192 hand sewn 3/0 interrupted sutures and 188 spapled anastomosis) had been performed. In our opinion for the majority of patients with advanced cardiac carcinoma distal esophagectomy and total gastrectomy, via the left thoracoabdominal approach, with D2 pancreas preserving splenectomy and dissection of lymph nodes in stations 16a1 and 16a2 is a surgical therapy of choice. Overall complications of such a procedure not differ in type and number from those after standard total gastrectomy and D2 dissection.

[Surgical strategy in the treatment of primary lymphoma of the stomach]. / Hirurska strategija u lecenju primarnog limfoma zeluca.

Primary gastric lymphoma has been traditionally accounted for only 1-7% of all malignancies of the stomach. During the period 1980-1996 in Department of Esophagogastric Surgery of University Surgical Hospital in Belgrade 41 patients have been operated due to primary gastric lymphoma. Radical surgery is the only therapeutic procedure in more then 45% of patients. It is also a safe procedure with specific complication rate less then 22%, and specific mortality rate less then 5%. In our experience, total gastrectomy with systematic lymphadenectomy is a therapy of choice in most patients with primary gastric lymphoma.

[Advantages and disadvantages of esophagogastroplasty in reconstruction of malignant and benign esophageal stenosis]. / Prednosti i nedostaci ezofagogastroplastike u rekonstrukciji malignih i benignih stenoza jednjaka.

Advantageous morphology, sufficient blood supply and good tissue quality predispose use of stomach for ideal substitute in subtotal and total esophagoplasty. Additional advantages are one act surgery and possibility of single anastomosis formation. In an eighteen years' time, since 1976., two hundred nine (209) patients were operated with use of esophagogastroplasty for malignancies and benign diseases of esophagus and hyphopharinx. The esophagogastric anastomosis is most common reconstructive procedure for esophageal and hyphopharingeal malignancies. Anastomosis on pharyngeal level was made in 13 pts., on cervical esophagus level in 168 pts. and on thoracic esophagus level in the rest of 28 pts. Overall postoperative morbidity was 25,36%. Most common complication was anastomotic dehiscence (18,66%), transplant necrosis occurred in 2% of pts., whereas stenosis of the anastomosis was observed in 4,78% of pts. Overall intrahospital mortality was 14,38%, while specific mortality (anastomotic dehiscence and/or transplant necrosis) was 10,04% (21 pts.), whereas nonspecific mortality (predominantly lung insufficiency) was 4,78% (10 pts.). Anastomotic dehiscence is major disadvantage of this method.