Abstract
Purpose: There has been little evidence to support postoperative ventilation under deep sedation or muscle paralysis in standard Gross C esophageal atresia improves its outcome. So we evaluated its efficacy with the data from four institutions in Chugoku and Shikoku area.
Methods: Among patients with esophageal atresia who underwent radical operation in four institutions between April 2005 and December 2011, patients with standard Gross C esophageal atresia were selected (patients associated with complex cardiac anomaly of less than 1,500 g, long-gap atresia were excluded). Based on the postoperative management, the patients were divided into two groups: Group I (Sedation –) and Group II (Sedation +). The postoperative course and complications were compared in these groups.
Results: A total of 21 patients were enrolled (Group I, n = 10 and Group II, n = 11). The median postoperative intubation periods and extrapleural drainage periods were significantly longer in Group II. The median periods until the first oral intake and the postoperative hospital stay were not significantly different between these groups. There were no significant differences in anastomotic leak and stricture rate between these groups. A patient in Group II experienced recurrent fistula and bedsore. The postoperative atelectasis was significantly higher in Group II.
Conclusions: It was not confirmed that postoperative ventilation under deep sedation or muscle paralysis provided any positive effect after repair of Gross C esophageal atresia.
