A case of double cancer of the hypopharynx and esophagus causing major bleeding in the late stage after surgery

Abstract

Surgical procedures of head and neck reconstructive surgeries are mature, and are generally thought to be performed safely. However, highly invasive surgery that widely extends over the cervicothoracic part, such as Grillo’s mediastinal tracheal surgery, has rather high fatal risks such as necrosis of trachea, major bleeding from great vessels, failure of anastomosis of the upper digestive tract, mediastinal infection, respiratory failure and so on. We describe the case of a 54-year-old male with double cancer of the hypopharynx and esophagus, which developed major hemorrhage from the brachiocephalic artery at 41 days after initial surgery. In this patient, ligation of the brachiocephalic artery was necessary for hemostasis. Nevertheless, the patient was able to be discharged without apparent cerebral complications. It was supposed that the arterial circle of Willis was sufficient for the supply of contralateral cerebral blood.