Endoscopic vacuum therapy: management of upper gastrointestinal anastomotic leaks and esophageal perforations

Upper gastrointestinal tract (UGT) leaks are associated with severe morbidity and mortality. Endoluminal vacuum (EVAC) therapy is a promising approach for repairing effectively these defects. Our study describes the results obtained from a series of cases treated with EVAC for the management of esophageal anastomotic (EA) leak following esophagectomy for cancer, gastroenteric (GE) anastomoses leak after bariatric surgery and esophageal perforation (EP).

We retrospectively analyzed ten patients who had an EA and GE anastomoses leaks and EP treated with EVAC. We described the results of the sample in terms of treatment failure, treatment duration, and number of EVAC replacements.

Five patients underwent esophagectomy with neoadjuvant radio-chemotherapy, one patient underwent gastrojejunal bypass bariatric surgery and there were four EP. The median size of mucosal defects was 6,9 mm. The median duration of treatment was thirteen days with 3,6 interventions performed, every three to four days. Treatment success rate was 70%. Treatment failure was 30%: two patients required surgery and in one case an endoluminal prosthesis.

EVAC therapy is an appropriate treatment for the management of postoperative fistulas in the UGT. Longer treatments are associated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and larger fistulas.