ArticleSurgical endoscopy2023
ERAS guidelines-driven upper gastrointestinal contrast study after esophagectomy can detect delayed gastric conduit emptying and improve outcomes.
Article in Surgical endoscopy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Revisional surgery for delayed gastric conduit emptying after esophagectomy: the RESTORANT project.Diseases of the esophagus : official journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus · 2026Article
- Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in esophagectomy: a comprehensive review of current practices.Updates in surgery · 2026Review
- The clinical relevance of postoperative routine contrast swallow following esophagectomy.Journal of thoracic disease · 2026Article
- Nasogastric tube after oesophagectomy and risk of anastomotic leak: a Nordic, multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial.The Lancet regional health. Europe · 2025Article
- Article
- Randomized controlled trial of nasogastric tube use after esophagectomy: study protocol for the kinetic trial.Diseases of the esophagus : official journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDelayed gastric conduit emptying can occur after esophagectomy and has been shown to be associated with increased risk for postoperative complications. Application of a standardized clinical protocol after esophagectomy including an upper gastrointestinal contrast study has the potential to improve postoperative outcomes.
methodsProspective cohort including all patients operated with esophagectomy at two high-volume centers for esophageal surgery. The standardized clinical protocol included an upper gastrointestinal contrast study on day 2 or 3 after surgery. All images were compiled and evaluated for the purpose of the study. Clinical data was collected in IRB approved institutional databases at the participating centers.
resultsThe study included 119 patients treated with esophagectomy of whom 112 (94.1%) completed an upper gastrointestinal contrast study. The results showed that 8 (7.1%) patients had radiological delayed gastric conduit emptying defined as no emptying of contrast through the pylorus. Partial conduit emptying was seen in 34 (30.4%) patients, and 70 (62.5%) patients had complete conduit emptying. Complete or partial emptying was associated with significantly earlier nasogastric tube removal (3 vs. 6 days) and hospital discharge 8 vs. 17 days, P < 0.001). Radiological signs of delayed gastric conduit emptying were shown to be associated with increased risk of postoperative complications. There was, however, no association with severe postoperative complications according to Clavien-Dindo score, pulmonary complications, anastomotic leak or need for intensive care.
conclusionThe results of the study demonstrate that postoperative upper gastrointestinal contrast studies can be used to assess the level of emptying of the gastric conduit after esophagectomy. Application of upper gastrointestinal contrast study in the ERAS guidelines-driven standardized clinical pathway after esophagectomy has the potential to improve postoperative outcomes.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.