ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility and clinical efficacy of minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.MethodsFrom July 2007 to December 2009,eighty-one patients with esophageal cancer received combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy with anastomosis in the neck.All clinical data were retrospectively reviewed.ResultsThe median operative time was 270.5 min (range 196-315 min).The median time of gastric mobilization and abdominal lymph node dissection was 64.5 min,and the median time of esophageal dissection and mediastinall lymph node dissection was 81.2 min.The median blood loss was 121.5 ml for the thoracic phase and 42.4 ml for abdomen phase.The mean number of disected lymph nodes was 20.4 (range 5-41) with metastastic rate of 30.9% (25/81).The mean harvest lymph node was 12.5 in chest and 7.3 in abdomen.Perioperative complications rate was 27.2%,including respiratory failure in 1 case,pulmonary infection in 10,anastomotic leak in 3,chylothorax in 2,gastric tube dilatation in 1,gastric tube leak in 1.And recurrent laryneal nerve injury in 5 .Seventy-nine patients were followed up withmMean follow up time of 14.2 months( range 2-31 months).The overall one-year survival rate was 91.1%.Postoperative complications included anastomotic stenosis in 5 cases (6.3%),reflux esophagitis in 12 (15.2%) and recurrence or metastasis in 6 (7.6%).ConclusionMinimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer can mimimus trauma,reduce post-operative complications,improve the quality of life,which is feasible and effective from the point of the clinical efficacy and the purpose of tumor therapy.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate indications of thoracoscopic resection of esophageal carcinomas. Methods A total of 75 patients with esophageal carcinomas underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) from July 1997 to July 2003. The dissection of the esophagus and radical resection of lymph nodes were performed using a right-sided VATS approach. Then the stomach was dissociated through an upper-abdominal incision and was pulled up for esophago-gastric anastomosis in the left neck. Results A conversion to open surgery was required in 3 patients, in 2 of whom the tumors had enroded into the hilum and the posterior wall of the heart, and in 1 of whom the azygous vein was ruptured. The operation time was 160~220 min, with the intrathoracic operation time accounting for 60~90 min. The postoperative blood loss was 300~400 ml. No surgery-related deaths were noted. Postoperative complications included 1 case of volvulus of stomach, 2 cases of anastomotic leakage, 1 case of anastomotic stenosis, and 1 case of chylothorax. Follow-up checkups in 60 patients for 3 months ~ 7 years (mean, 4 years) found 2 cases of supraclavicular lymph node metastasis and 1 case of abdominal lymph node metastasis. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 85.0% (51/60), 51.7% (31/60) and 40.0% (24/60), respectively. Conclusions Video-assisted thoracoscopic resection of esophageal carcinomas is feasibly suited to patients with localized lesions at phaseⅠ or Ⅱ.