Endoscopic treatment of esophageal-pleural fistula after Ivor Lewis surgery

Anastomosis failure after Ivor Lewis surgery varies widely from 4% to 30%. In addition to issues of early diagnosis of complications, determining tactics and treatment options is an important consideration. Various approaches to anastomosis failure have been proposed and discussed in the literature. However, the success of treatment is largely determined by the capabilities of the clinic. This article presents the experience of using endoscopic techniques to restore the continuity of the gastrointestinal tract after anastomosis failure in a patient operated by the Ivor Lewis procedure. A positive clinical effect was achieved with comparatively cost-effective treatment. The described techniques expand the possibilities of minimally invasive treatment of postoperative esophageal fistulas and should find their niche and enter the arsenal of specialists as options of temporary or definitive treatment.