Treatment outcomes and quality of life of patients after esophagectomy with simultaneous reconstruction using different gastric grafts

Objective. To compare short–term postoperative outcomes and quality of life in patients after esophagectomy with simultaneous reconstruction using different gastric grafts. Materials and methods. A prospective single–center cohort study included 195 patients with resectable esophageal or esophagogastric junction cancer who underwent Lewis esophagectomy with restoration of digestive tract continuity using different gastric grafts. The primary endpoints were the incidence of anastomotic failure, intrathoracic complications, mortality, length of hospital stay, and quality of life according to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ–OES18 scale. Results. The best results were obtained with a typical gastric graft: fewer complications (31.6%), shorter hospital stay (15.3 ± 4.5 days), and better quality of life, especially in terms of dietary restrictions (p=0.01). Although statistical significance was not achieved for all indicators, a stable trend in favor of this reconstruction option was observed. Conclusions. The option of simultaneous reconstruction after esophagectomy using a typical gastric graft is optimal: the clinical course of the disease and functional results are better than with other options.