Angelchik prosthesis with oesophageal adenocarcinoma: our surgical approach

The Angelchik prosthesis is an incomplete doughnut-shaped device composed of silicone elastomer used in the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). It is used to encircle the lower oesophagus at the gastro-oesophageal junction (GOJ). The ease of the operation led to the insertion of over 25,000 such prostheses world-wide. However, a variety of major complications including intractable dysphagia, prosthesis migration and gastric erosion required a quarter of these devices to be removed. Development of adenocarcinoma in patients with Angelchik prosthesis is a rare occurrence. This article describes two patients who developed adenocarcinoma above their prosthesis and whose cardio-oesophagectomy was technically challenging due to the formation of a dense inflammatory capsule around the prosthesis. Our surgical approach to curative oesophageal resection with the Angelchik prosthesis in situ is also discussed.