Thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position for esophageal cancer patients with pectus excavatum: a report of two cases

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum is a common thoracic deformity that can be encountered during thoracoscopic esophagectomy. Here, we report two cases of esophageal cancer complicated by pectus excavatum that were treated with thoracoscopic esophagectomy with the patients in the prone position. CASE PRESENTATION: The first patient was a 64-year-old male diagnosed with esophageal cancer (cT3N0M0, Haller index 8.5) and underwent radical thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The second patient was a 67-year-old male diagnosed with esophageal cancer (cT1bN0M0, Haller index 4.3), and the same procedure was performed in this patient. In cases of patients with a high Haller index, where securing the surgical field is difficult, preoperative computed tomography in the prone position can help surgeons to understand the mediastinal field of view and is safe. CONCLUSIONS: Radical thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position may be a surgical option in patients with pectus excavatum. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40792-021-01193-9.