Recently, several versatile approaches via limited incision have been developed for minimally invasive cardiac surgery. As the incision is limited, it is often dfficult to get a satisfactory operative field, especially for the manipulation of two separate lesions such as simultaneous mitral and aortic valve disease with a single limited incision. Here, we describe a case of successful double valve replacement via ministernotomy, which was followed by two cases of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement via transsternal approach. The operative field was unexceptionally satisfactory and the postoperative patient's acceptance was high. The methodology is described with a review of the relevant literatures.
Aortic Valve ; Esophageal Perforation ; Thoracic Surgery

In this report, a full account of an extremely rare case on esophageal intramural dissection (EID) is presented. A 56-year-old female patient, misdiagnosed as esophageal mediastinal fistula under endoscopic view, was diagnosed correctly as EID with contained esophageal perforation in the operation and cured by thoracic esophagectomy.
Esophageal Diseases ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Esophageal Perforation ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Esophagectomy ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and prognosis for patients with early esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD).
 METHODS: A total of 89 patients were admitted to the Department of internal medicine in the First People's Hospital of Anqing from August 2008 to August 2011. All patients were treated with ESD at the early stage of esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions. The patients' laboratory data and relevant medical history were collected. The postoperative complications and long-term effects of ESD were analyzed.
 RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients were followed up with 100% response rate. Among 89 cases, 16 were early esophageal cancer, 38 were high-grade esophageal neoplasia and 35 were low-grade esophageal neoplasia. The one-time whole piece resection rate, complete resection rate and curative resection rate was 93.3% (84/89), 92.1% (82/89) and 92.1% (82/89), respectively. Two cases suffered intraoperative perforation with a rate of 2.2% and these 2 patients performed the intraoperative endoscopic repair; one case suffered the postoperative delayed bleeding with a rate of 1.1% and the patient underwent the conservative treatment; three cases suffered the esophageal stenosis with a rate of 3.4%. All patients were followed-up for 10-58 (36.3±21.2) months. In this period, one case recurred after ESD for 3 years with a rate of 1.1%; two cases were dead. The three-year survival rate was 97.8%.
 CONCLUSION The early esophageal cancer and precancerous lesions can be treated with ESD. The method is safe and the prognosis is good.
Dissection ; Endoscopy ; adverse effects ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; surgery ; Esophageal Perforation ; Esophageal Stenosis ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal perforation induced by esophageal foreign body. METHOD: Ten patients, who were diagnosed as esophageal foreign body and esophageal perforation, were retrospectively analyzed. One patient was operated in other hospital and transferred to our department post-operation. The foreign bodies were removed through rigid esophagoscope in 7 cases and through the tracheotomy in 1 case. The last case was admitted into hospital for abscess around the esophagus. The foreign body wasn't find during the examination of rigid esophagoscope and the patient vomited out a glass foreign body after the surgery. RESULT: In all cases, there were three date stones, two button batteries, one metal gear, one pin, one metal cans pull ring, one glass plate, one arc hard plastic sheet. Seven patients were cured after conservative treatment, and restored normal diet. For the rest 3 cases, patients were cured after the repair operation of tracheoesophageal fistula. CONCLUSION The esophageal perforation must be highly suspected of the esophageal foreign body with a long history, sharp shape or corrosive foreign body. The esophageal radiography may be taken to obtain the final diagnosis. The patients diagnosed as esophageal perforation must be treated with antibiotics, nasal feeding or feeding by gastrostomy, and followed-up closely. Small perforation can heal after a period of time by nasal feeding, while tracheoesophageal fistula was needed to repaire after a period of time for restoring a good physical condition in most cases.
Abscess ; Child ; Esophageal Perforation ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Foreign Bodies ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Tracheoesophageal Fistula ; Tracheotomy

Esophageal perforation after endoscopic forceful pneumatic dilatation for achalasia is a devastating complication and surgical treatment is necessary. A 65-yr-old man and a 54-yr-old woman referred for esophageal perforation two hours after pneumatic dilatation and during the procedure, respectively. Gastroplasties through thoracotomy were performed in both cases and their recoveries were uneventful. The esophagogram with gastrografin on the post-operative 8th day did not show any passage disturbance or leakage at the anastomosis site. On the follow-up endoscopy 4 to 6 months after operation revealed that reflux esophagitis of LA classification A were noted in the both patients. They did not complain any reflux symptom or dysphagia for 9 to 13 months after operation. Instead of the most widely used procedure; primary repair of perforation site, wrapping with intercostal muscle flap and esophagomyotomy, gastroplasty was performed in two cases of iatrogenic esophageal perforation in achalasia and experienced good results.
Aged ; Deglutition Disorders/complications ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/*adverse effects ; Esophageal Achalasia/*surgery ; Esophageal Perforation/*surgery ; Esophagus/*surgery ; Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux/complications ; Gastroplasty/*methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Thoracotomy

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the repair of cervical esophageal perforation using cervical muscle flap and provide a new material of esophageal perforation repair. METHOD: To report 12 cases of cervical esophageal perforation among which 8 cases was repaired using cervical muscle flap. RESULT: 100% success rate of surgical repair was observed with all 12 cases. No case of recurrence or esophageal stricture occurred by follow-up six months to 10 years. CONCLUSION Traumatic cervical esophageal perforation easily had serious complications, with high mortality rates and the prognosis was poor. Early intervention of surgical repair could improve the survival rate of patients.
Aged ; Esophageal Perforation ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Surgical Flaps

A 68-yr-old man complaining of sudden, postprandial chest pain visited the emergency room. His symptom had been aggravated during the preceding two days. Upper gastrointestinal contrast study with gastrographin showed leakage of dye from the epiphrenic diverticulum in the lower third of the esophagus. The primary repair was urgently carried out. Upper gastrointestinal contrast study 14 days after operation revealed an esophageal leakage which was small and confined. The patient was managed with conservative treatments such as intravenous hyperali-mentation and broad-spectrum antibiotics. Forty-two days after the operation, a gastrographin swallow study showed the absence of leaks. This is the first report-ed case of a perforated epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum repaired by delayed primary repair in Korea.
Aged ; Diverticulum, Esophageal/complications/*diagnosis/*surgery ; Esophageal Perforation/*diagnosis/etiology/*surgery ; Esophagectomy/*methods ; Humans ; Male ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

A 71-year-old man presented with a productive cough and fever, and he was diagnosed as having an esophageal perforation and a mediastinal abscess. He had a history of traumatic hemothorax and pleural drainage for empyema in the right chest and was considered unable to tolerate thoracic surgery because of sepsis and progressive aspiration pneumonia. In order to aggressively drain the mediastinal contamination, we performed internal drainage by placing a Levin tube into the mediastinum through the perforation site. This procedure, in conjunction with controlling sepsis and providing sufficient postpyloric nutrition, allowed the esophageal injury to completely heal.
Abscess ; Aged ; Cough ; Drainage* ; Empyema ; Esophageal Perforation* ; Fever ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Mediastinitis ; Mediastinum ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; Sepsis ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thorax

A 71-year-old man presented with a productive cough and fever, and he was diagnosed as having an esophageal perforation and a mediastinal abscess. He had a history of traumatic hemothorax and pleural drainage for empyema in the right chest and was considered unable to tolerate thoracic surgery because of sepsis and progressive aspiration pneumonia. In order to aggressively drain the mediastinal contamination, we performed internal drainage by placing a Levin tube into the mediastinum through the perforation site. This procedure, in conjunction with controlling sepsis and providing sufficient postpyloric nutrition, allowed the esophageal injury to completely heal.
Abscess ; Aged ; Cough ; Drainage* ; Empyema ; Esophageal Perforation* ; Fever ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Mediastinitis ; Mediastinum ; Pneumonia, Aspiration ; Sepsis ; Thoracic Surgery ; Thorax

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the staging criteria and surgical treatment strategy of traumatic intrathoracic esophageal perforations by foreign bone.

METHODSFifty-seven patients with intrathoracic esophageal perforations caused by foreign bone in our department from January 1980 to June 2006 were studied. Patients were divided into 4 grades: grade I was esophageal perforation without mediastinitis (n=17), grade II was esophageal perforation with severe mediastinitis (n=13), grade III was esophageal perforation with severe empyema (n=21), grade IV was esophageal perforation with tracheal or aorto-esophageal fistula (n=6). Based on the stage of esophageal perforation, operative procedures were selected including esophagotomy, esophageal repair, esophagectomy, mediastinal drainage, and esophagus reconstruction with colon.

RESULTSIn grade I, II and III, all but one patient experienced satisfactory healing of the esophagus. One patient died of multi-organ failure from septic complication. No leakage was observed. Normal swallowing function and improved weight gain was achieved in all the patients. There were 2 deaths in grade IV (2/6).

CONCLUSIONSGrading of esophageal perforation caused by foreign bone is helpful to the decision of surgical treatment strategy.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Esophageal Perforation ; classification ; surgery ; Esophagus ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Foreign Bodies ; classification ; surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult