THORACOSCOPIC ESOPHAGECTOMY FOR ESOPHAGEAL CANCER / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Thoracoscopic esophagectomy is an alternative to open thoracotomy in treatment of esophageal carcinoma, but its role in esophageal surgery is still controversial. Between May 2000 and May 2002, 9 patients affected by esophageal carcinoma underwent esophagectomy with thoracoscopic dissection of the esophagus. Seven patients were male, 2 were female,and the mean age was 51 (range, 42～56) years.One patient had the carcinoma at cervical segment, 2 at upper third thoracic segment, 5 at middle third, and 1 at lower third.All tumors were squamous cell type and were below stage II.Thoracoscopy and cervical esophagogastrostomy were successfully performed in 8 patients except in one case, in whom conversion to thoracotomy was necessary because of extensive tumor invasion.Thoracoscopic dissection took an average of 70 (range,40～120) minutes and the mean operative time was 252(range,230～270) minutes. the mean operative blood loss was 250ml (range,150～400ml) and the mean number of thoracic lymph nodes harvested was 7(range,5～12).One patient experienced a cervical infection,which healed with conservative treatment.One patient had a temporary left recurrent nerve palsy that disappeared during the following 6 months.These initial data indicate that thoracoscopic esophagectomy is safe and feasible. The short term result of thoracoscopy is comparable with that of open thoracotomy, and the long term result and its role in esophageal surgery deserve further investigation.