ESOPHAGEAL INJURY CAUSED BY THE SPINE DEFORMITY CORRECTION USING VARIOUS TECHNIQUES OF SPINAL FIXATION

Abstract

Objectives - to improve the surgical treatment results in patients with injuries of the esophagus after the elimination of deformation of a vertebral column with metal devices. Material and methods. From 2001 to 2018 we treated 17 patients with esophageal injury appeared as a result of cervical vertebras fixation with metal devices - in 12 patients to correct their instability due to the traumatic compression fractures and in 5 patients having the herniated discs with the spinal channel compression. 12 patients underwent the urgent operation, 5 patients - the delayed or planned one. Three mechanisms of esophageal injury were defined: 5 patients had the first type of injury, 8 - the second type, 4 - the third type. The patients were operated on after the diagnosis confirmation. The operation was aimed at the removal of the metal device from the collum and the closure of the esophagus wall defect. Tactics of treatment of the esophageal injuries depended on the alterations in its paries, the size of the defect, the nature of the trauma and the mediastinitis prevalence. In 8 patients the primary suture of the esophagus was applied. In 9 patients with decubituses of the esophagus and the large size of the defect we applied the partial suturing of the defect and the transesophageal drainage of the fistula and mediastinum, strengthening the injured zone with a muscle on the pedicle. Results. First intention healing was achieved in 5 patients of the 8 ones who underwent the esophagus wall suturing without a fistula transesophageal drainage. The partial suture incompetence occurred in 3 cases and it required the transesophageal drainage through the defect in the esophagus wall. The external tubular esophageal fistula formed in 12 patients. After the drainage removal the fistula closed in 10 cases. One of the 17 patients died of the multiple organ failure and sepsis. Conclusion. Injuries of the esophagus caused by the metal devices fixing the unstable vertebras have the clinical features depending on the installation time. The suturing of the esophageal defect and the suture strengthening m. sternocleidomastoideus on the pedicle supplemented by a through lumenal transesophageal drainage have advantage in comparison with the esophageal wall suturing without drainage.

Keywords

• esophageal injury
• spine trauma
• spinal fixation
• transesophageal drainage