Objectives: Anastomotic leakage is a major cause of mortality in oesophageal surgery. Whether omentoplasty after oesophagogastrostomy could reduce anastomotic leakage is still controversial. The aim of this study is to investigate the function of omentoplasty to reinforce cervical oesophagogastrostomy after radical oesophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy.
Methods: A total of 184 patients who underwent radical oesophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy took part in this prospective study. Patients were randomized to receive either the omentoplasty or non-omentoplasty. In the omentoplasty group, the omentum was wrapped around the oesophagogastric anastomosis after oesophagogastrostomy. Age, gender, location of carcinoma, stage, body mass index, diabetes, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease and performance of omentoplasty were recorded. The anastomotic leakage and stricture and recurrence site were followed up for three years after the operation.
Results: The two groups were comparable in terms of age, gender, location of carcinoma, stage, body mass index, diabetes, coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease (P > 0.05). In contrast to the non-omentoplasty group with a postoperative anastomotic leakage rate of 9.8%, the omentoplasty subjects demonstrated a significantly lower rate of 3.3% (P < 0.05). No lethal leakage was found in the omentoplasty group, while two non-omentoplasty patients developed incurable empyema and mediastinitis due to leakage and ultimately died. The rate of incidence of anastomotic stricture in the omentoplasty and non-omentoplasty groups were 4.3% and 2.2% respectively. Of the five cases of death during the hospital stay, two were found in the omentoplasty group and three in non-omentoplasty. There was no significant difference of lethal leakage, stricture and death rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). The hospital stay was significantly longer for non-omentoplasty patients, compared with that for the omentoplasty subjects (P < 0.05). Tumour recurrence in lymphatic- or haematogenous metastasis was similar in both groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Omentoplasty may prevent anastomotic leakage of oesophagogastrostomy following radical oesophagectomy with three-field lymphadenectomy.