Lymph nodes dissection along bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve for patients with esophageal carcinoma: thoracoscopic esophagectomy versus open thoracic esophagectomy / 中华全科医师杂志

ABSTRACT

One hundred and thirty patients with esophageal carcinoma were randomly asigned into two groups62 cases received thoracoscopic esophagectomy (TE group) and 68 cases received open thoracic esophagectomy group (OE group).All patients underwent lymph nodes dissection along bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve.Compared with OE group,TE group had a less blood loss during the lymph nodes dissection (P ＜ 0.05) and a lower incidence of pulmonary infection (P ＜ 0.05).There were no significant differences in the number of dissected lymph nodes,dissection time,incidence of temporary hoarseness,permanent hoarseness and mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure between two groups (P ＞ 0.05).The study suggests that lymph nodes dissection along bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve can be succesfully completed by thoracoscopic esophagestomy,and it has the advantage of less intraoperative blood loss and lower incidence of pulmonary infection,compared to open thoracic surgery.