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Latorre-Rodríguez et al. Mini-invasive Surg 2023;7:6 Mini-invasive Surgery
DOI: 10.20517/2574-1225.2022.104

Review Open Access

Novel techniques for the management of esophageal

anastomotic leaks

Andrés R. Latorre-Rodríguez , Sumeet K. Mittal
Norton Thoracic Institute, St. Joseph´s Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA.

Correspondence to: Dr. Sumeet K. Mittal, Norton Thoracic Institute, St. Joseph´s Hospital and Medical Center, 500 W Thomas
Rd. Suite 500, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA. E-mail: sumeet.mittal@commonspirit.org

How to cite this article: Latorre-Rodríguez AR, Mittal SK. Novel techniques for the management of esophageal anastomotic
leaks. Mini-invasive Surg 2023;7:6. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1225.2022.104

Received: 24 Oct 2022 Revised: 8 Feb 2023 Accepted: 24 Feb 2023 Published: 17 Mar 2023

Academic Editor: Fernando A. M. Herbella Copy Editor: Ke-Cui Yang Production Editor: Ke-Cui Yang

Abstract
Anastomotic leaks (ALs) after esophageal resection remain a dreaded complication and are associated with high
morbidity and mortality, along with an increased cost of care and prolonged hospitalization. Management
strategies include confirming conduit viability, controlling sepsis with drainage/antibiotics, and maintaining
nutrition. Traditional treatment of ALs has given way to nonoperative management including endoscopic and
radiological techniques, which are associated with decreased morbidity. This article aims to review novel
technologies and techniques for the management of esophageal ALs, including self-expandable metal stents,
endoluminal vacuum therapy, leak content drainage, and radiology-guided drain placement.

Keywords: Anastomotic leak, postoperative complications, minimally invasive surgical procedures, digestive
system surgical procedures, gastrointestinal endoscopy, esophagus

INTRODUCTION
Gastrointestinal resections require anastomosis to restore gastrointestinal (GI) continuity. Anastomotic
leaks (ALs) are a dreaded complication, and their incidence, presentation, and management are driven by
the organs involved and the location of anastomosis. ALs are more frequent after esophageal resection than
after other digestive surgeries and are usually more challenging to manage due to their location in the
mediastinum.

© The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
indicate if changes were made.

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