Ligation of thoracic duct during thoracoscopic esophagectomy can lead to decrease of T lymphocyte
Rui-Feng Yang1, Ting-Ting Liu2, Peng Wang3, Run-Qi Zhang3, Chao Li3, Bo Han3, Xue-Xin Gao3, Lei Zhang3, Zhong-Min Jiang4
1 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Taishan Hospital Affiliated to Taishan Medical University, Taian; Department of Thoracic Surgery, Qianfoshan Hospital of Shandong Province, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China 2 Department of Breast Surgery, Taishan Hospital Affiliated to Taishan Medical University, Taian, Shandong, China 3 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Taishan Hospital Affiliated to Taishan Medical University, Taian, Shandong, China 4 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Qianfoshan Hospital of Shandong Province, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
Correspondence Address:
Peng Wang Department of Thoracic Surgery, Taishan Hospital Affiliated to Taishan Medical University, Taian, Shandong 271000 China
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/jcrt.JCRT_596_17
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Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy has been one of the most preferable surgical treatments for early esophageal cancer. Some scholars suggested that the thoracic duct should be routinely ligated to reduce the incidence of postoperative chylothorax, while another group raised an objection. As a classic indicator of immune function, T lymphocyte subsets can be applied to assess the effects of prophylactic thoracic duct ligation during thoracoscopic esophagectomy.
Methods: A total of 60 patients were recruited and randomized into thoracic duct ligation group and nonligation group. Venous blood was collected before and after video-assisted esophagectomy. The lymphocyte count and percentage, T lymphocyte subsets percentage were measured with fully automatic hemacytometer analyzer and flow cytometry. The difference between two groups was compared with t-test and the classified data were compared with Chi-square test.
Results: No significant difference was observed in peripheral blood CD3+, CD3+CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ lymphocyte percentage between the two groups before operation (P > 0.05). The mean value of peripheral blood CD3+, CD3+CD4+ lymphocyte percentage in ligation group was obviously less than that of in nonligation group after operation (P < 0.05). The mean of CD3+CD8+ lymphocyte percentage in ligation group was obviously higher than that of in nonligation group after operation (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Ligation of thoracic duct during esophagectomy could lead to decreased percentage of T lymphocyte and CD4+ Tlymphocyte, especially after arch of azygos vein had been transected. The thoracic duct should be selectively ligated during esophagectomy.
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