Minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND: In this study, we present our minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy technique and survival rates of this technique. METHODS: Between September 2013 and December 2020, a total of 140 patients (56 males, 84 females; mean age: 55.5±10.3 years; range, 32 to 76 years) who underwent minimally invasive Ivor- Lewis esophagectomy for esophageal cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative patient data, oncological and surgical outcomes, pathological results, and complications were recorded. RESULTS: Primary diagnosis was esophageal cancer in all cases. Minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy was carried out in all of the cases included in the study. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy was administrated in 97 (69.3%) of the cases. The mean duration of surgery was 261.7±30.6 (range, 195 to 330) min. The mean amount of intraoperative blood loss was 115.1±190.7 (range, 10 to 800) mL. In 60 (42.9%) of the cases, complications occurred in intraoperative and early-late postoperative periods. The anastomotic leak rate was 7.1% and the pulmonary complication rate was 22.1% in postoperative complications. The mean hospital stay length was 10.6±8.4 (range, 5-59) days and hospital mortality rate was 2.1%. The median follow-up duration was 37 (range, 2-74) months and the three- and five-year overall survival rates were 61.8% and 54.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy can be used safely with low mortality and long-time survival rates in esophageal cancer.