Gastric Microperfusion in Patients Undergoing Gastroesophageal Resections

In the researchers' words

Gastroesophageal resection because of gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma is a massive surgical intervention. Currently, gastroesophageal cancer surgery is performed with upper laparotomy followed by thoracotomy at the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Rigshospitalet, Denmark. However, minimal invasive techniques (MIT), e.g. robotic assisted laparoscopy, is in the progress of being implemented in this field as they are hypothesized to be more beneficial for the patients, and in some aspects better than conventional laparoscopic surgery. The operative procedure is often complicated by low blood pressure (systolic blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg is experienced in more than 30 % of the patients) and is probably accompanied by a reduced splanchnic microcirculatory flow, leading to increased morbidity. Hypotension may be due to several factors, among them are epidural analgesia, mesentery traction reflex, and inflammatory and vasoactive hormones. Aim of the project The aim of the project is, through a series of sub-projects, to validate or invalidate the relationship between changes in the microcirculatory blood flow in the stomach and the systemic hemodynamic changes. Furthermore, the aim is to assess the changes in the microcirculatory blood flow as a consequence of the thoracic epidural anesthesia. In addition, the aim is to assess the hypothesis that the…