Non-placement versus placement of a drainage tube around the cervical anastomosis in McKeown esophagectomy: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Current controlled trials in cardiovascular medicine 2019-12, Vol.20 (1), p.758-758, Article 758
• Main Authors: Oshikiri, Taro, Takiguchi, Gosuke, Miura, Susumu, Takase, Nobuhisa, Hasegawa, Hiroshi, Yamamoto, Masashi, Kanaji, Shingo, Yamashita, Kimihiro, Matsuda, Yoshiko, Matsuda, Takeru, Nakamura, Tetsu, Suzuki, Satoshi, Kakeji, Yoshihiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ambulatory care facilities; Analgesics - therapeutic use; Anastomosis, Surgical - methods; Anastomotic Leak - epidemiology; Anastomotic leakage; Cancer therapies; Cancer treatment; Carcinoma; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous - pathology; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous - surgery; Care and treatment; Cervical drainage tube; Clinical trials; Drainage - statistics & numerical data; Drug dosages; Equivalence Trials as Topic; Esophageal cancer; Esophageal Neoplasms - pathology; Esophageal Neoplasms - surgery; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma - pathology; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma - surgery; Esophagectomy - methods; Humans; Informed consent; Japan - epidemiology; Length of Stay - statistics & numerical data; McKeown esophagectomy; Medical records; Medical research; Neck; Oncology; Ostomy; Outpatient care facilities; Pain, Postoperative - drug therapy; Patients; Postoperative Complications - epidemiology; Squamous cell carcinoma; Study Protocol
• ISSN: 1745-6215; 1745-6215
• DOI: 10.1186/s13063-019-3750-4

Esophagectomy with extended lymphadenectomy remains the mainstay of treatment for localized esophageal cancer. Currently, transthoracic and abdominal esophagectomy with cervical anastomosis (McKeown esophagectomy) is a frequently used technique in Japan. However, cervical anastomosis is still an invasive procedure with a high incidence of anastomotic leakage. The use of a drainage tube to treat anastomotic leakage is effective, but the routine placement of a closed suction drain around the anastomosis at the end of the operation remains controversial. The objective of this study is to evaluate the postoperative anastomotic leakage rate, duration to oral intake, hospital stay, and analgesic use with nonplacement of a cervical drainage tube as an alternative to placement of a cervical drainage tube. This is an investigator-initiated, investigator-driven, open-label, randomized controlled parallel-group, noninferiority trial. All adult patients (aged ≥20 and ≤85 years) with histologically proven, surgically resectable (cT1-3 N0-3 M0) squamous cell carcinoma, adenosquamous cell carcinoma, or basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the intrathoracic esophagus, and European Clinical Oncology Group performance status 0, 1, or 2 are assessed for eligibility. Patients (n = 110) with resectable esophageal cancer who provide informed consent in the outpatient clinic are randomized to either nonplacement of a cervical drainage tube (n = 55) or placement of a cervical drainage tube (n = 55). The primary outcome is the percentage of Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher anastomotic leakage. This is the first randomized controlled trial comparing nonplacement versus placement of a cervical drainage tube during McKeown esophagectomy with regards to the usefulness of a drain for anastomotic leakage. If our hypothesis is correct, nonplacement of a cervical drainage tube will be recommended because it is associated with a similar anastomotic leakage rate but less pain than placement of a cervical drainage tube. UMIN-CTR, 000031244. Registered on 1 May 2018.