Minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer – results of surgical therapy

INTRODUCTION: The indication for minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) in esophageal cancer has an increasing tendency. AIM: To present our cohort of patients operated on between 2006 and 2012. Material and methods: A single centre study of 106 consecutive esophagectomies performed for esophageal cancer by a minimally invasive approach in 79 patients was performed. Transhiatal laparoscopic esophagectomy (THLE) was performed in 66 patients, transthoracic esophagectomy (TTE) in 13 patients, with histological findings of squamous cell carcinoma in 28 and adenocarcinoma in 51 patients. RESULTS: The MIE was completed in 76 (96.2%) patients. In cases of TTE, the operation was converted to an open procedure in 3 cases. Operation time ranged from 225 to 370 min (average 256 min). The number of lymph nodes removed was 7–16 (11 on average). The postoperative course was without any complications in 54 (68.3%) patients. Respiratory complications were observed in 14 (17.7%) patients (9 following THLE, 5 following TTE). Other serious complications included acute myocardial infarction (1 patient) and necrosis of the gastroplasty (1 patient). Anastomotic dehiscence was observed in 8 patients, left recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis in 8 patients, intra-abdominal abscesses in 2 patients, and pleural empyema in 1 case. The overall morbidity of patients operated on by MIE was 31.6%. Thirty-day mortality was 10.1%. CONCLUSIONS: The MIE belongs to the therapeutic portfolio of surgical procedures performed for esophageal cancer. Successful performance requires erudition of the surgical team in both minimally invasive procedures as well as in classical surgical treatment of esophageal cancer; therefore centralization of patients is imperative.