Minimally invasive therapy of epiphrenic diverticula: Systematic review of the literature and report of 6 cases

Epiphrenic diverticula is an uncommon disease, and conventional surgical treatment entails aggressive open or transthoracic surgery. Minimally invasive treatment has changed the surgical approach, but a number of surgical controversies remain unresolved. The present study is a description of our experience with minimally invasive treatment of epiphrenic diverticula and a systematic review of the current literature on this subject. All data from the Hospital de Sant Pau were reviewed to identify patients who underwent minimally invasive treatment for epiphrenic diverticulum since 1998. In addition, systematic literature review focused on minimally invasive approach for epiphrenic diverticula was performed. Total of 6 patients have been treated (6 transhiatal and 1 with abdominal and thoracic approach) at the hospital. Predominance of male patients was observed, with median age of 63 years. Diagnosis was made with endoscopy, barium swallow, or manometry. Half of manometry results where pathological. Surgical techniques applied were diverticulectomy, myotomy, and Dor partial fundoplication. Two patients with suture line leakage were treated conservatively. No mortality was reported. Systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA scheme, and 21 studies with 189 patients were found. No comparative or prospective randomized trials were located. Overall morbidity rate was 24%, suture line leakage rate was 12%, hospital stay was 5 days, and mortality rate of 1.5% in the literature. After median follow up of 42 months, 81.5% of the patients were asymptomatic. Minimally invasive approach for epiphrenic diverticula is a safe and feasible procedure.