Video-assisted surgery for gastric carcinoma arising in a gastric tube reconstructed retrosternally

Advances in diagnostic and surgical techniques have improved the prognosis of esophageal cancer, but there is growing concern about gastric tube cancer after esophagectomy. Gastric carcinoma arising in tubes that were reconstructed retrosternally is usually resected through a median sternotomy; however, this is invasive and carries a risk of osteomyelitis after suture-line failure. We performed video-assisted gastric tube resection, eliminating the need for sternotomy by using a sternal lifting method, on a 71-year-old man who had previously undergone esophagectomy and reconstruction retrosternally. The tumor was a Borrmann type 1 advanced cancer located near the esophagogastric anastomosis. Neck collar and upper abdominal incisions were made, and the sternum was lifted using a Kent retractor to extend the retrosternal space. Under videoscope assistance, we stripped the adhesions around the gastric tube carefully and performed total gastric tube resection. For the reconstruction, the ileocolon was lifted through the retrosternal space, and an ileoesophagostomy and Roux-en-Y reconstruction were performed. Despite leakage from an esophago-ileoanastomosis on postoperative day 6, the patient recovered well without mediastinitis or osteomyelitis of the sternum. Thus, our surgical procedure provides a good surgical view, decreases surgical stress, and reduces the risk of fatal postoperative complications.