Postoperative complications in the treatment of chagasic megaesophagus

The postoperative complications of Chagasic megaesophagus were studied in 250 Chagasic patients referred to the Gastroenterology Clinic of Hospital das Clinicas, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The treatment was balloon dilatation in 45 (18.0%), myotomy and cardioplasty in 63 (25.2%), Merendino's surgery in 139 (55.6%), esophagogastroplasty in 2 (0.8%) and esophagocoloplasty in 1 (0.4%). There were 125 (50%) early and 30 (12%) late postoperative complications, and in 65 patients (26%) recurrent dysphagia was noted: nineteen (7.6%) after myotomy and cardioplasty, 9 (3.6%) after Merendino's operation and 37 (14.8%) after balloon dilatation. Eighty-five patients (34%) needed reoperations either to correct recurrent dysphagia (56 patients, 22.4%) or to treat other complications (29 patients, 11.6%). The reoperations to correct the 19 recurrences after myotomy and cardioplasty were Merendino's operation (12 patients, 4.8%), forceful dilatation (1 patient, 0.4%), forceful dilatation followed by Merendino's (2 patients, 0.8%), another myotomy (2 patients, 0.8%), myotomy followed by Merendino and balloon dilatation (1 patient, 0.4%) or esophagogastroplasty (1 patient, 0.4%). The recurrences after dilatation were treated by myotomy (15 cases, 6%), Merendino's operation (12 cases, 4.8%) and myotomy followed by Merendino's (3 cases, 1.2%). After Merendino seven reoperations (2.8%) were done: reduction of interposed loop (6 cases, 2.4%) and esophagocoloplasty (1 case, 0.4%). The time elapsed between the first operation and reoperation or dilatation varied from a few weeks to 18 years.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)