Management of gastric conduit dehiscence with self-expanding metal stents: a case report on salvaging the gastric conduit

BACKGROUND: Three-hole minimally invasive esophagectomy (3HMIE) is one of the most radical procedures in gastrointestinal surgery. It involves thoracoscopic dissection of the esophagus followed by creation of a gastric conduit in the abdomen with anastomosis in the neck, and is associated with significant morbidity. Gastric conduit dehiscence is one of the most morbid complications following esophagectomy. Historically, the standard of care in this situation has been conduit diversion with delayed esophageal reconstruction. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we report two patients with a timely diagnosis of gastric conduit dehiscence of staple line after 3HMIE who were salvaged successfully with endoscopic placement of self-expanding metal stents. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic stents may be used in selected cases of gastric conduit dehiscence after 3HMIE to salvage the conduit.