Post-ESOphagectomy patients presenting for General Anesthesia INduction: A systematic review of the literature...

Immediately following esophagectomy, aspiration is responsible for most direct postoperative complications, largely attributed to anatomical alterations from the surgical procedure. The long-term risk of aspiration following successful esophagectomy has not been systematically investigated, and there are no guidelines for the anesthetic management of postesophagectomy patients who require elective surgeries involving general anesthesia (GA).

PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched from inception through January 1, 2024 to identify studies involving patients ≥90 days postesophagectomy and undergoing elective surgery unrelated to their esophagectomy status, where GA was required. Data on perioperative anesthetic management were extracted. The primary outcomes assessed were perioperative gastrointestinal and pulmonary complications. Secondary outcomes included the approach to induction of GA and author recommendations.

Of the 4097 studies, ten studies involving 131 patients met inclusion criteria. Intraoperatively, adverse events during induction occurred in 13.0% of 131 cases, including regurgitation of gastric contents in 5.3% and pulmonary aspiration in 9.9%. The airway was managed with an endotracheal tube in 95.6%. Induction was performed in the semi-Fowler position in 92.9% and performed using the rapid sequence and standard induction techniques in 58.7% and 41.3%, respectively.

Patients who have undergone esophagectomy may remain at high risk for aspiration during GA even in the long term, necessitating enhanced vigilance in anesthetic management. We offer evidence-informed suggestions for elective induction of GA in patients with a history of successful esophagectomy to enhance safe practice for these patients.