ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the technique and effect of selected three-field lymphadenectomy by left thoracotomy in treatment of thoracic middle or lower section esophageal squamous carcinoma. Methods From Jun. 2005 to Mar. 2009, 213 patients with thoracic middle or lower section of esophageal carcinoma received esophagectomy, bilateral mediastinal lymphadenectomy and pleural membrane resection.Group 1 -5, 7 - 12a, 16al, and 19 were performed to dissect abdominal lymph node and extended thoracic and abdominal lymphadenectomy and only lymph node extraction of mesoesophagus in neck field. Results 14197 lymphatic nodes(LN) were detected in 213 case. The average number of resected LN was 66. 65 ±24. 73. The metastatic lymph node was detected in 105 cases. The metastatic rate was 49.05% (105/213).There were 423 metastatic lymph nodes. The lymph nodes metastasis was 2. 97% (423/14197) of all dissected lymphatic nodes. No remnant carcinoma in the upper and lower cutting edge was found in pathological examination. The operation time ranged from 2. 92 ～ 4. 67 ( 3. 37 ± 0. 42) hours. Blood transfusion during perioperative period was 0 ～ 6u ( 1.08 ± 0. 93 ) u. Perioperative plasma transfusion was 0 ～ 1400( 103.77 ± 184. 89) ml. The hospital-time was 14 ～ 39 ( 17.64 ±4. 12) days. There were no anastomotic leakage and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. One case died from respiratory failure, the mortality was 0. 04% ( 1/213). Conclusion Surgical approach in the management of left thoracotomy in the sixth intercostals could extend resection of chest-field lymph node dissection, decrease neck field lymph node dissection. Abdomen-field lymph node dissection reached selected D3. The selected lymphadenectomy procedure had the advantages of small traumas and few complications.