A Case of Surgery for Thoracic Esophageal Cancer with Acute Intermittent Porphiria

Yasuhiro Sasaki, Satoru Motoyama, Manabu Okuyama, Kiyotomi Maruyama and Jun-ichi Ogawa

Department of Surgery, Akita University School of Medicine

A 49-year-old man who had a history of acute intermittent porphyria was diagnosed with thoracic esophageal cancer. Without the use of contraindicated drugs, and providing adequate infusion and glucose, we conducted esophagectomy with lymph node dissection. No porphyrial attack occurred and postoperative porphyrial metabolic products were not elevated. Only 7 acute intermittent porphyria patients have been operated in Japan according to our review of the literature. This is to our knowledge the first case of invasive surgery such as esophagectomy with acute intermittent porphyria. Our case shows that invasive surgery is safe in acute intermittent porphyria patients with adequate management.

Key words
thoracic esophageal cancer, acute intermittent porphyria

Reprint requests
Satoru Motoyama Department of Surgery, Akita University School of Medicine
1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543 JAPAN

Accepted
October 19, 2004

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