The goal of this pragmatic, registry-based, randomized clinical trial is to find out if using botulinum toxin (Botox) to help drain the stomach during an esophagectomy works as well as a pyloromyotomy in patients undergoing elective esophagectomy for benign or malignant esophageal disease. Both methods are intended to prevent problems with food emptying too slowly from the stomach (delayed gastric emptying), which can cause discomfort after surgery. The main question it aims to answer is:
Is intrapyloric Botox injection as a drainage procedure during esophagectomy non-inferior in preventing symptoms of delayed gastric emptying at 6 months postoperatively compared to pyloromyotomy?
Researchers will compare intrapyloric Botox injection to pyloromyotomy to see if Botox is non-inferior to pyloromyotomy in easing symptoms of delayed gastric emptying.
Participants will:
Be randomized to one of two treatment groups-either intrapyloric Botox injection or pyloromyotomy-during their esophagectomy.
Complete surveys assessing digestive symptoms at standard postoperative follow-up intervals (3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively).
Undergo a standard gastric emptying study at 6 months after surgery.
18 years of age or older
Undergoing elective esophagectomy (thoracoabdominal, Ivor-Lewis, McKeown)
Receiving a gastric conduit for alimentary reconstruction
Technically able to receive either intrapyloric Botox injection or pyloromyotomy as ultimately determined intraoperatively
Undergoing emergent esophagectomy (e.g., for esophageal perforation)
Patients with underlying neuromuscular disease as Botox would be contraindicated (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, muscular dystrophies, Lambert-Eaton syndrome)
Patients undergoing left thoracoabdominal without left cervical neck incision (i.e., Sweet esophagectomy) - excluded due to the extent of gastric resection
Pregnancy