Published online Jan 21, 2017. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i3.478
Peer-review started: September 18, 2016
First decision: October 10, 2016
Revised: October 26, 2016
Accepted: November 15, 2016
Article in press: November 16, 2016
Published online: January 21, 2017
Processing time: 119 Days and 12.9 Hours
To identify the risk factors and clarify the subsequent clinical courses.
This study retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) treated using endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) between April 2008 and October 2012. We divided the ESCC lesions into perforation cases and non-perforation cases, and compared characteristics and endoscopic findings between the two groups. "Intraoperative perforation" was defined as the detection of a perforation site during ESD and the presence of mediastinal emphysema.
In total, 147 patients with 156 ESCC lesions were treated by ESD. Intraoperative perforation was recorded for nine lesions (5.8%) from nine patients. Multivariate analysis identified mucosal deficiency larger than 75% of the circumference of the esophagus as an independent risk factor for intraoperative perforation (OR = 7.37, 95%CI: 1.45-37.4, P = 0.016). The predominant site of perforation was the left wall [6/9 (67%)]. Six of nine perforation sites were successfully closed by clips during the procedures. Two of nine cases required drainage for pleural effusions; however, all nine cases recovered with conservative treatment and without surgical intervention. At the median follow up of 42 mo after ESD, no cases of local recurrence or distant organ metastasis had been observed.
This study suggests that mucosal deficiency larger than 75% of the luminal circumference is a risk factor for intraoperative perforation during ESD for ESCC.
Core tip: Perforation is the major complication during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), with a frequency of 0%-6.9%. The risk factors for intraoperative perforation during ESD for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are largely unknown. In this study, we assessed the differences in perforation and non-perforation groups regarding the characteristics and endoscopic findings. Mucosal deficiency larger than 75% of the luminal circumference was a risk factor for intraoperative perforation during ESD for ESCC.