Delayed Gastric Emptying after Esophagectomy: Management and Prevention

Abstract

The quality of life associated with eating is becoming an increasingly significant problem for patients who undergo esophagectomy as a result of the improved survival rate after esophageal cancer surgery. Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is a common complication af-ter esophagectomy. Although several strategies have been proposed for the management and prevention of DGE, no clear consensus exists. The purpose of this review is to present a brief overview of DGE and to help clinicians choose the most appropriate treatment through an analysis of DGE by cause. Furthermore, we would like to suggest some tips to prevent DGE based on our experience.

Keywords

• esophageal neoplasms
• esophagectomy
• gastric emptying
• pyloric interven-tion
• mediastinum