Endoscopic management of inveterate esophageal perforations and leaks

The endoscopic management of four selected patients with inveterate esophageal perforations or leaks is presented. One patient had a perforation of the cervical esophagus following endoscopic removal of a foreign body already treated with surgical drainage; two patients had a leak following diverticulectomy and esophagogastrostomy, respectively, persistent after multiple surgical repairs; the last patient had a spontaneous perforation of the thoracic esophagus persistent after two transthoracic repairs. The mean time elapsed between the diagnosis of perforation and the endoscopic treatment was 19 days. In one patient, transesophageal drainage of a mediastinal abscess was performed. In the other three patients, a stent was placed to seal the leak in combination with gastric and esophageal aspiration. Two of these patients underwent endoscopy in critical condition and could have not been candidates for major surgical procedures. All patients received enteral nutrition. No morbidity or mortality related to the endoscopic procedure was recorded; the treatment was effective in all patients who recovered and resumed oral feeding within 3 weeks. We conclude that endoscopic transesophageal drainage and stenting are effective procedures in the management of patients with inveterate esophageal perforations or leaks.     

放射免疫显像在食管癌分期中的应用

目的 探讨放射免疫显像（RII）在食管癌分期的应用。方法 （1）LSAB法测定组织切片和抗人食管鳞癌单抗G9的反应;（2）^125I标记G9,在荷食管癌裸鼠腹腔注射^125I-G9后的连续3d内,测定各主要组织、器官的放射性;（3）食管鳞癌术前经纤维食管镜在原发灶周围黏膜下注射^131I-G9后行RII;（4）对清扫淋巴结行放射性测定。结果 （1）LSAB显示癌原发灶和转移淋巴结呈阳性,正常食管和淋巴结阴性;（2）^125I-G9在裸鼠体内分布显示,肿瘤组织的放射性计数均明显高于其它器官／组织;（3）镜下注药48h时RII在食管旁纵隔、贲门旁、胃小弯旁出现散在的细点状放射性浓集,浓集区域所清扫的淋巴结中,包含有转移淋巴结;无浓集区域,未发现转移淋巴结;（4）全部有转移淋巴结的放射性比活度均比无转移高,且均数高出两倍多。结论 （1）单抗G9能选择性定位于食管鳞癌细胞膜;（2）^125I-G9在荷食管癌裸鼠有肿瘤组织导向作用,显像效果良好;（3）用^131I-G9在食管鳞癌行RII,对转移淋巴结有定位作用,可作为cTNM分期的选择手段。     

The role of laparoscopy in preoperative staging of esophageal cancer

Background: Diagnostic laparoscopy has been used to determine resectability and to prevent unnecessary laparotomy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer. The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the role of laparoscopy in conjunction with computed tomography (CT) scan in staging patients with esophageal cancer. Methods: From March 1995 to October 1998, 59 patients with biopsy-proven esophageal cancer underwent diagnostic laparoscopy with concurrent vascular access device and feeding jejunostomy tube placement. Results: Laparoscopy changed the treatment plan in 10 of 59 patients (17%). Of the patients with normal-appearing regional or celiac nodes, 78% were confirmed by biopsy to be tumor free, whereas 76% of patients with abnormal-appearing nodes were confirmed by biopsy to have node-positive disease. Conclusions: Diagnostic laparoscopy is useful for detecting and confirming nodal involvement and distant metastatic disease that potentially would alter treatment and prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. Received: 16 May 1999/Accepted: 10 November 1999/Online publication: 24 March 2000     

Endoscopic ultrasonography in the staging of esophageal carcinoma after preoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: In past years multimodal neoadjuvant treatment for carcinoma of the esophagus has been used with increased frequency. Staging of the neoplasm still remains fundamental in evaluating the response to therapy and in planning operation. The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) in a group of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus after undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy. METHODS: Among a group of 111 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus and treated with preoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy, 87 were operated. In these patients it was possible to compare the results of EUS, with regard to depth of invasion of esophageal wall (T) and lymph node involvement (N), with the results of operation and histopathologic study. RESULTS: Feasibility of EUS before and after neoadjuvant treatment was 71.2% and 83.9%, respectively. The overall accuracy of EUS regarding the wall invasion was 47.9%. The more frequent error was overstaging, especially in patients with complete response and in patients with minimal residual disease. In the assessment of lymph node involvement, EUS showed an overall accuracy of 71.2% with a moderate kappa value. Sensitivity for N1 and NO was 73.7% and 68.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic ultrasonography was feasible in most patients after preoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but our study documented a worsening of accuracy of EUS in the evaluation of T attributable to the confounding presence of radiation fibrosis and soft tissue reaction after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.     

Accuracy of endoscopic ultrasonography in preoperative staging of esophageal carcinoma

BACKGROUND: With the advent of stage-adapted multimodal regimens for many gastrointestinal malignancies, accurate staging has become of utmost importance. In esophageal cancer, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) emerged as standard to determine T and N stage. OBJECTIVE: Since growth patterns of squamous carcinoma (SC) differs from adenocarcinoma (AC) and lymph nodes are located at various distances from the esophagus in a horizontal plane, we studied the accuracy of esophageal EUS as a function of tumor type and localization of the tumor within the esophagus. RESULTS: Overall staging accuracy was 79% for T and for N staging. Staging was more accurate for T3/4, when compared to T1/2 tumors, and for SC when compared to AC. Histological T1/2 stages were overstaged by EUS in 8/17 patients, mostly in patients with AC (6/10). The sensitivity of retrosternal pain and of dysphagia for extramural disease was 57 and 92% respectively, the specificity of pain for extramural disease was 73%, and of dysphagia 36%. Preoperative weight loss in this series correlated linearly with tumor stages. CONCLUSIONS: The accurate preoperative staging of T2 esophageal endodermal malignancies is crucial for treatment stratification but difficult to achieve by visual analysis of endosonography alone. Postacquisition processing of echoendosonographic images might further increase the accuracy of echoendosonography and aid in the critical differentiation of T2 versus T3 esophageal malignancies. Preoperative weight loss and retrosternal pain are good clinical indicators of extramural disease.     

食管癌术前放化疗后临床再分期的评价

目的探讨食管癌患者术前放化疗（pre-CRT）后采用影像学和内镜检查进行临床再分期的临床价值。方法对27例局部晚期食管鳞癌患者,在接受CRT治疗前采用颈部和胸部及腹部CT、食管超声内镜（EUS）、电子气管镜及PET-CT等检查进行临床分期;完成pre-CRT后再次进行分期。临床疗效评价采用RECIST标准,放化疗后3～6周施行手术,将术后病理结果与术前分期进行对照研究。对常规病理学检测为pT0和pN0病例的组织切片,采用免疫组织化学（免疫组化）染色检测原发灶及淋巴结中的微小肿瘤残留灶。结果全组pre．CRT后,CT对T及N分期的准确率分别为40．9％（9／22）和68．2％（15／22）,总的分期准确率为40．9％（9／22）;EUS对T及N分期的准确率分别为38．5％（5／13）和69．2％（9／13）,总的分期准确率为38．5％（5／13）。联合CT和EUS总的分期准确率为46．2％（6／13）。CRT结束后临床评价完全缓解（CR）5例,部分缓解（PR）14例,无缓解（SD）8例。5例临床评价cR者术后病理证实3例CR,1例pT3N1,1例虽经苏木精．伊红染色为pT0N0,但经免疫组化检测发现淋巴结存在微小肿瘤病灶残留。而术后病理结果pCR的5例患者中,除3例术前评价为CR外。另2例术前临床评价为PR。在15例N0的病例中,免疫组化检测有2例3个淋巴结仍可见食管癌细胞分布于其周边。结论目前常用的临床检查分期手段（食管吞钡、CT、EUS、内镜下病理活检等）和临床疗效评价手段（RECIST标准）对食管癌放化疗后的肿瘤组织反应评价准确率不高。建议CRT后临床评价食管癌CR的患者。仍应接受手术治疗。     

多层螺旋CT检查对膀胱癌的术前分期价值

目的 评价多层螺旋CT检查对膀胱癌的术前分期价值.方法 回顾性分析经手术病理证实的膀胱癌患者82例.男78例,女4例.均行术前多层螺旋CT检查,将肿瘤CT征象与手术病理分期结果进行对照分析.结果CT检查对膀胱癌的定位和定性诊断准确率分别为78.0%(64/82)和93.9%(77/82).与手术病理结果比较,CT检查判断膀胱周围侵犯、淋巴结转移和邻近器官侵犯的准确率分别为90.2%(74/82)、96.3%(79/82)和89.0%(73/82).CT术前分期与手术病理结果比较呈明显正相关.结论 螺旋CT检查对膀胱癌具有较高的诊断价值,可作为膀胱癌术前常规和主要的检查项目.     

甲状腺癌超声介导诊断及临床分期

目的 研究不同病理类型及相关亚型甲状腺癌的声像图特点,并将超声应用于甲状腺癌的临床分期,以实现对甲状腺癌患者术前合理评估、精确分期及个体化治疗.方法 收集2000年1月至2006年6月的甲状腺癌病例407例,分析比较不同病理类型及相关亚型甲状腺癌的声像图特征;同时,将超声应用于甲状腺癌的临床分期和个体化治疗.结果 1.根据不同病理类型甲状腺癌的临床生物学特征,结合其声像图特征,提出甲状腺癌的超声分型(Bus-TC typing),包括①经典型;②低分化型;③微小型;④弥漫硬化型;⑤髓样型;⑥不典型型.2.甲状腺乳头状癌可按其超声表现分为以下8型,包括①经典型;②微小型;③弥漫型;④囊性变型;⑤边缘型;⑥多灶型;⑦侵袭型;⑧合并桥本型.3.甲状腺癌颈部转移性淋巴结可依照其声像图特征分为5型,包括①囊性变型;②钙化型;③巨淋巴结型;④微小型;⑤侵袭型.4.超声诊断甲状腺癌T分期准确率为93.9%;NO期的准确率为86.1%;Nla期的准确率为80.O%;Nlb期的准确率为74.9%.术前超声检查可以发现51.5%的临床触诊漏诊的隐匿性转移淋巴结.结论 超声检查在甲状腺癌的临床诊断中具有独到的优势,对于甲状腺癌的合理评估、精确分期、及时治疗及颈部淋巴结的处理具有不可替代的价值.     

Laparoscopy alone is superior to peritoneal cytology in staging gastric and esophageal carcinoma

Background Laparoscopy identifies metastatic disease in patients with upper gastrointestinal malignancies; however, it has been suggested that cytological examination of peritoneal washings may increase the diagnostic yield. We hypothesize that the addition of cytologic washings to a standardized staging laparoscopy is unnecessary for the identification of intraabdominal metastasis in patients with gastric/esophageal cancer.Methods Forty patients with gastric/esophageal cancer were prospectively evaluated. Patients successfully underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy protocol (with biopsies) during which peritoneal washings were obtained and processed for cytologic analysis. Laparoscopic versus cytologic identification of intraabdominal metastasis were compared.Results Forty patients successfully completed laparoscopy with collection of peritoneal washings. Laparoscopic examination of the peritoneal cavity upstaged 21 (52.5%) patients. Laparoscopic examination consistently identified a statistically significant higher number of positive patients than cytologic examination of peritoneal washings (p = 0.001) and examination of cytologic washings alone failed to identify 45% of patients with positive findings and laparoscopy. The addition of cytologic examination added no additional stage IV patients to the laparoscopy-negative group.Conclusion A standardized laparoscopic examination alone is sufficient for the identification of intraabdominal metastatic disease in patients with gastric and esophageal cancer.Paper presented at the ninth World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery/Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), Los Angeles, CA, USA, March 2003     

内镜超声检查与多层螺旋CT对胃癌术前分期的对比研究

目的探讨内镜超声检查与多层螺旋CT在胃癌术前分期中的应用价值。方法对46例经活检证实的胃癌患者术前分别行内镜超声和多层螺旋CT检查,并与术后病理检查结果对照。结果内镜超声检查的术前T、N、M和TNM临床分期准确率分别为80.4%、68.3%、91.3%和65.1%;而多层螺旋CT分别为80.4%、80.5%、97.8%和65.1%,两者各参数间比较差异均无显著性意义。当两者相结合时则分别可提高到91.3%、85.4%、97.8%和83.7%,前3项参数准确性的提高无统计学意义,而TNM临床分期准确性的提高与内镜超声检查及多层螺旋CT的结果比较,差异有显著性意义(χ2=6.13,P<0.05)。对Ⅱ～Ⅳ期胃癌术前分期结果分析,内镜超声检查、多层螺旋CT及两者相结合的术前TNM临床分期准确率分别为50.0%、75.0%和85.7%,内镜超声检查与两者相结合的准确率之间差异有显著性意义(χ2=6.75,P<0.01)。结论内镜超声检查与多层螺旋CT对胃癌术前分期均有较高的准确性,特别是两者相结合应用,对胃癌患者治疗方案的选择和预后评价有重要的指导意义。     

Esophageal ultrasound and the preoperative staging of carcinoma of the esophagus

Esophageal ultrasound allows the esophageal wall to be viewed as five discrete layers. Lymph nodes are easily identified, and their size, shape, margin, and internal structure can be assessed. This provides an alternative method of preoperative (clinical) evaluation of the primary tumor [T] and the regional lymph nodes [N] of patients with carcinoma of the esophagus. Esophageal ultrasound was attempted in the clinical staging of 28 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus. Six patients (21%) were not assessed because of the inability to pass the esophageal ultrasound probe through the malignant stricture. The staging system for carcinoma of the esophagus developed by the International Union Against Cancer and the American Joint Committee on Cancer was used. Twenty-two patients had the true T determined by pathologic review of the resected esophagus. Esophageal ultrasound correctly identified T in 13 patients (59% accuracy). In four patients (18%) the disease was overstaged by esophageal ultrasound; all these patients had early T1 tumors confined to the submucosa. In five patients (23%) the disease was understaged by esophageal ultrasound; all of these patients had advanced tumors (four T3 and one T4) that invaded beyond the esophageal wall. Seven of the nine incorrect esophageal ultrasound determinations were called T2 (three T1, three T3, one T4), which suggests that the borders of the muscularis propria require careful attention when evaluated by esophageal ultrasound. Twenty patients had the true N determined by pathologic review of the resected specimen. Esophageal ultrasound correctly identified N in 14 patients (70% accuracy). Three patients were falsely identified as having N1 disease and three were falsely identified as having N0 disease. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for N assessment by esophageal ultrasound were 70%. Esophageal ultrasound provides an alternative method of visualization of the esophageal wall and regional lymph nodes. Our early experience shows promise for esophageal ultrasound in the clinical staging of carcinoma of the esophagus.     

Clinical staging of bladder carcinoma

Summary The TNM staging system for carcinoma of the bladder is reviewed and compared with the Jewett-Strong-Marshall classification system.     

Esophageal carcinoma: esophageal ultrasound assessment of preoperative chemotherapy.

The effect of preoperative chemotherapy in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma is difficult to assess because of the inadequacies of clinical staging. Endoscopic esophageal ultrasound (EUS) has been shown to be accurate in the clinical determination of depth of tumor invasion (T) and regional lymph node status (N). Therefore, EUS may be useful in assessing the effect of preoperative chemotherapy in the treatment of esophageal carcinoma. Eleven patients with operable adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or esophagogastric junction underwent staging by EUS before treatment. This was followed by two courses (10 patients) or one course (1 patient) of chemotherapy: etoposide, 120 mg/m2 for 3 days; doxorubicin hydrochloride, 20 mg/m2; and cisplatin, 100 mg/m2. Restaging by EUS was done after treatment. Ten patients then underwent resection of the tumor with lymphadenectomy. One patient was found to have metastatic disease at thoracotomy and did not undergo resection. However, tissue sampling was adequate for the determination of pathological stage. Independent pathological determinations of T and N were then obtained. On completion of chemotherapy, 9 patients (82%) had relief or reduction of preoperative symptoms, and 9 patients (82%) had either no evidence of tumor or reduction of tumor size by endoscopy. Despite this clinical and endoscopic response, no patient had EUS-documented and pathology-confirmed reduction of T. However, 2 patients had EUS-documented and pathology-confirmed progression of N. The accuracy of EUS in the determination of T was 82% and of N, 73%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Prospective evaluation of positron emission tomography in the preoperative staging of esophageal carcinoma

HYPOTHESIS: Positron emission tomography (PET) is a useful tool in the selection of patients with esophageal cancer who may not benefit from esophageal resection. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: Eighty-one patients with newly diagnosed esophageal cancer who underwent PET and computer tomography (CT) of the chest and abdomen (and of the neck in 45 patients) within 45 days were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We calculated the sensitivity and specificity in detecting metastatic sites on the basis of 31 histologically verified lesions. In addition to results obtained on CT, the information provided by PET was evaluated with a view to the choice of management strategies. RESULTS: The PET findings had a higher specificity (89% vs 11%) but a lower sensitivity (38% vs 63%) than CT findings in the detection of metastatic sites. The CT results showed greater agreement with histopathological findings than did PET results. In 8 patients (10%), PET detected distant metastases that were not identified with CT. In 4 patients (5%), PET detected bone metastases only, but in all of these patients metastases in other locations were detected by CT. Although PET led to upstaging (M1) in 2 patients (2%), it did not enable the exclusion of esophageal resection. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative PET was not characterized by greater accuracy in the detection of metastatic sites previously identified by CT. Therefore, PET did not lead to a change in the indication for esophagectomy. An increase in the sensitivity and the combined use of CT and PET may lead to new indications for this staging procedure.     

Delayed diagnosis of esophageal foreign body: A case report

IntroductionForeign body (FB) ingestion, a common and serious problem in children, can present with a wide variety of symptoms. This paper describes and discusses the case of an esophageal foreign body (EFB), in which the patient presented with primarily respiratory clinical signs causing delayed diagnosis.Presentation of caseA six month old boy presented with three months history of harsh cough, stridor and pulmonary congestion. He was repeatedly treated with steroids and antibiotics. His symptoms worsened progressively. On examination, he was tachypneic with suprasternal recession, scattered crepitations, diffuse wheeze and a continuous stridor. Chest X-ray was normal. The flexible bronchoscopy showed a posterior external compression on the middle wall of the trachea. The CT scan was normal. The contrast X-ray study of the esophagus revealed an endoluminal filling defect. The esophagoscopy revealed narrowing at 12 cm of dental arch, and a bourgeoning yellow mass easily bleeding on contact. Esophageal biopsies were obtained, and histology was inconclusive. A surgical exploration was planned, but the infant forced out a pistachio shell after a chest physiotherapy session.DiscussionIngestion of FB by small children is a common problem. The majority of EFBs pass harmlessly through the gastrointestinal tract; however, some EFBs can cause significant morbidities. The diagnosis may be delayed leading to several complications especially if the ingestion of the FB is unwitnessed and when the clinician does not think of FB ingestion as part of the differential diagnosis of chronic respiratory signs.ConclusionThis case highlights, the importance of recognizing, the rare and often forgotten respiratory symptoms of EFB body to avoid diagnostic delay especially in unwitnessed FB ingestion.     

以分期为基础的食管癌微创治疗

随着食管癌分期手段及内镜、腔镜设备的不断发展，更准确的治疗前分期及更成熟的外科微创技术．为以分期为基础的食管癌微创治疗提供了可靠的保障。对不同分期的食管癌患者应当采用不同的微创治疗手段．在保证治疗效果的前提下．进一步减少创伤．加快患者康复．提高患者生活质量。