Laparoscopic-thoracoscopic esophageal resection in the treatment of giant epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum (Ivor Lewis operation): Case report

INTRODUCTION: Complicated esophageal diverticulum is an extremely rare disease. The most widespread surgical tactic in such cases is drainage of the mediastinum and the position of a feeding gastrostomy or enterostomy. Our objective was to demonstrate the possibility of performing a one-step operation in case of giant esophageal diverticulum with necrotic diverticulitis and sepsis on the background of dilatation of the esophagus. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 57-year-old woman complained of persistent nagging epigastric pain, heartburn, belching, daily vomiting of eaten food and liquid, impaired swallowing, fever up to 39° C. EGD revealed large pouch of the right esophageal wall in middle and lower third of the esophagus with signs of inflammation, ulceration and necrosis and retained food in the pouch. Barium esophagogram demonstrated 50 × 100 mm epiphrenic diverticulum on the right side and in the lower third of the esophagus which contained food. CBC revealed leukocytosis along with “left upper shift” and ESR. DISCUSSION: The laparoscopic-thoracoscopic esophageal resection with gastric tube plasty (Ivor Lewis operation) might be the method of choice in cases of giant epiphrenic esophageal diverticula, when esophageal resection is connected with the high risk of anastomotic dehiscence due to esophageal wall necrosis. CONCLUSION: We have established that in case of necrobiotic changes in the esophageal wall in the area of the diverticulum, this tactic is completely justified because of the greater patient safety and the less risk of the stapler suture line dehiscence.