Minimally invasive esophagectomy for caustic esophageal stricture in children

Esophageal stricture after lye ingestion in children is the most frequent indication for esophagectomy in children, but this operation entails significant risks for complications. With continuing advances in minimally invasive technology, complex procedures such as esophagectomy can be performed using small incisions, with the aim of reducing morbidity and mortality. Experience with minimally invasive esophagectomy is limited and has involved thoracoscopic dissection with the addition of laparotomy for gastric mobilization. The authors report a case of intractable caustic esophageal stricture in a child treated by a totally minimally invasive esophagectomy through a combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic approach. In adult patients, this procedure has been associated with decreased hospital stay and more rapid return to normal activities, and we believe similar benefits will be obtained in children. Until further studies are done to show the advantage over the standard open technique, this procedure should be performed only in centers with experience in open esophageal surgery in children as well as by surgeons with advanced thoracoscopic and laparoscopic skills.     

电视胸腔镜辅助下食道癌切除术

目的探讨右胸电视胸腔镜应用于食道癌切除术的临床效果. 方法回顾性分析我院自1999年10月～2003年11月间23例电视胸腔镜辅助下食道癌切除术患者的临床资料.均经右胸胸腔镜完成胸腔、纵隔的探查及食道周围的游离,然后经颈部、腹部切口离断食管,再经颈部切口完成食管-胃底吻合.另选择同期行常规手术的食道癌患者作为对照. 结果 23例患者的手术时间、出血量、吻合口瘘等与同期常规手术患者无明显差别,但开胸后疼痛轻,肺部并发症少,术后患者恢复快,住院时间短. 结论电视胸腔镜辅助下食道癌切除手术有微创的优势,可作为部分患者的手术选择方式.     

Video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND: The Ivor-Lewis procedure is a radical, invasive, and effective procedure for the resection of most esophageal cancers. To minimize invasiveness, we performed thoracoscopic and video-assisted esophagectomy and mediastinal dissection for esophageal cancer. METHODS: From November 1995 to June 1997, 23 patients with intrathoracic esophageal cancer, excluding T4 cancers, underwent thoracoscopic and video-assisted esophagectomy. Bilateral cervical dissections were performed as well as preparation of the gastric tube and transhiatal dissection of the lower esophagus. The cervical esophagus was cut using a stapler knife, and esophageal reconstruction was performed through the retrosternal route or anterior chest wall. Next, thoracoscopic mediastinal dissection and esophagectomy were performed. RESULTS: The mean volume of blood loss was 163 +/- 122 ml; mean thoracoscopic surgery duration, 111 +/- 24 min; mean postoperative day for patients to start eating, 8 +/- 3 days; and mean hospital stay, 26 +/- 8 days. No patient developed systemic inflammatory response syndrome postoperatively. Tracheal injury occurred and was repaired during the thoracoscopic approach in one patient. No patients died within 30 days after surgery. Postoperative complications included transient recurrent nerve palsy in five patients, pulmonary secretion retention requiring tracheotomy in two, and chylothorax in one. Five patients died of cancer recurrence within 1 year of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Our surgical experience with thoracoscopic and video-assisted esophagectomy indicate that it is a feasible and useful procedure.     

机器人辅助微创食管切除术的技术要点分析

近年来，随着达芬奇机器人技术引入食管癌外科治疗，越来越多的食管外科医师了解和认识到该技术的优势，其安全性和有效性也逐渐得到认可。机器人技术可结合传统胸腹腔镜以及开放手术完成不同手术路径的操作，机器人技术的优势也可以得到充分发挥，有些在传统技术下难以快速安全完成的操作也得以改进。该文总结了现有文献报道机器人辅助微创食管切除术(RAMIE)的经验，分析各中心在手术路径、机器人辅助方式以及食管癌治疗技术上的特点。     

Bilateral approach for thoracoscopic esophagectomy with lymph node dissection in the dorsal area of the thoracic aorta in patients with esophageal cancer: A report of two cases

IntroductionThe incidence of lymph node metastasis in the dorsal area of the thoracic aorta (DTA) is relatively low in patients with esophageal cancer. It is difficult to approach the DTA using surgical procedures, such as an open thoracotomy and thoracoscopy in the left decubitus position.Case presentationCase 1: A 70-year-old man with esophageal cancer underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection via a right thoracoscopic approach, followed by lymphadenectomy in the DTA via left thoracoscopy in the prone position. Microscopic findings revealed two metastatic lymph nodes in the DTA. The definitive diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, and the pathological stage was T2N3M0 (Union for International Cancer Control [UICC], 7th edition). The patient showed lung metastasis 8 months after the surgery. Case 2: A 72-year-old man with esophageal cancer underwent esophagectomy via a bilateral approach in the prone position, using a similar procedure as in case 1. The definitive diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, and the pathological stage was T3N2M0. The patient showed a metastatic mediastinal lymph node 4 months after the surgery.ConclusionBilateral thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position can be safely performed, and it might be an alternative curative surgery for esophageal cancer. However, both our cases showed metastasis in the early postoperative period. The long-term outcome and significance of dissection of lymph nodes in the DTA in patients with esophageal cancer remains controversial. Further studies are required to establish the indications and efficacy of this therapeutic approach.     

Future perspectives on the standardization of surgical treatment for esophageal cancer

The Japanese Society for Esophageal Diseases published guidelines for the treatment of esophageal cancer in December 2002. Radical surgery is indicated for T1N1 and T2,3 disease without M1 metastasis to other organs, which consists of transthoracic esophagectomy through the right chest with mediastinal and abdominal (two-field), and cervical if necessary (three-field) resection, lymphadenectomy, and esophageal reconstruction by pulling up the stomach. The survival benefit of cervical lymphadenectomy remains controversial. A randomized, controlled trial (RCT) comparing two-field and three-field resection is needed to evaluate the efficacy of cervical lymphadenectomy. In the West, especially in the USA, surgeons prefer transhiatal esophagectomy, which is illogical in cancer surgery, rather than transthoracic esophagectomy. A recent Dutch RCT comparing transhiatal and transthoracic esophagectomy reported lower morbidity and a trend toward improved long-term survival in the transhiatal group. Minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer is common in clinical practice today. However, there is little evidence showing that less-invasive procedures are superior to radical surgery. Further investigation is needed to determine the efficacy of thoracoscopic esophagectomy and laparoscopic mobilization of the stomach for esophageal replacement. The efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy also remains controversial. However, the effectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery on disease-free survival was confirmed by the Japanese Clinical Oncology Group RCT.     

Thoracoscopic-assisted esophagectomy and laparoscopic gastric pull-up for lye injury.

BACKGROUND: Acquired esophageal strictures in children are often the result of ingestion of caustic agents. We describe 2 children with severe esophageal strictures following lye ingestion, who successfully underwent esophagectomy and gastric pull-up utilizing combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic techniques. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart analysis of both patients. CASE 1: A 17-year-old female, who ingested a lye-containing substance, which lead to the need for gastrostomy and esophageal dilatations, developed an esophageal stricture. Thoracoscopic esophagectomy, laparoscopic gastric conduit creation, pyloroplasty, gastric pull-up, and esophagogastric anastomosis was performed one year later. She was tolerating a regular diet for almost 4 years following esophageal replacement when she developed a gastric ulcer with gastrobronchial fistula that required open repair via a right thoracotomy. She has since recovered and resumed her regular diet. CASE 2: A 13-month-old female who ingested a lye-based cleaner underwent tracheostomy and gastrostomy on the day of injury, and esophageal dilatations beginning 1 month later. Despite dilatations, she developed severe strictures for which at age 21 months she underwent thoracoscopic esophageal mobilization, laparoscopic creation of gastric conduit, pyloroplasty, and esophagogastric anastomosis. A right thoracotomy was necessary to negotiate the conduit safely up to the neck. She is tolerating feeds and has not developed any complications for nearly 3 years following esophageal replacement. CONCLUSIONS: Esophagectomy and gastric pull-up for esophageal lye injuries can be accomplished utilizing a combination of thoracoscopy and laparoscopy with excellent results. Long-term follow-up is necessary to manage potential complications in these patients.     

Totally laparoscopic transhiatal esophago-gastrectomy without thoracic or cervical access: The least invasive surgery for adenocarcinoma of the cardia?

Background The recent progress of minimally invasive surgery has allowed esophagectomy to be performed by both combined laparoscopic/thoracoscopic and totally laparoscopic transhiatal approaches. All these techniques imply a thoracic and/or cervical access for the creation of the esophagogastric anastomosis.Methods Five surgical ports are introduced in the abdomen. The stomach is mobilized, divided, and tubulized, preserving the right arteries. The lymphadenectomy of the celiac trunk and the hepatic pedicle is achieved. The dissection and resection of distal esophagus and a two-fields mediastinal lymphadenectomy are performed by means of harmonic scalpel. The realization of the intrathoracic esophago-gastrostomy is accomplished by means of a circular stapler.Results Three patients underwent the procedure. Mean operating time and blood loss were 347 min and 360 cc. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Mean postoperative stay was 9 days.Conclusion In selected cases, it is possible to perform a distal esophagectomy entirely by laparoscopy, without the need for any thoracic or cervical access.     

The management of esophageal cancer with situs inversus totalis by simultaneous hand-assisted laparoscopic gastric mobilization and thoracoscopic esophagectomy

Situs inversus is a rare disorder. We present a case of esophageal cancer with situs inversus totalis, which was successfully managed by laparoscopic gastric mobilization and thoracoscopic esophagectomy. A 57-year-old man presented to our hospital with intermittent epigastric and retrosternal pains. X-ray and computed tomography demonstrated situs inversus totalis. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and barium swallow showed esophageal cancer of the lower thoracic esophagus. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, he underwent surgical intervention. Under general anesthesia, laparoscopic gastric mobilization using hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery technique was performed. The locations of the port sites were all the mirror image of the regular fashion, and the right hand of the surgeon was inserted into the peritoneal cavity. Reconstruction of the digestive tract using a gastric tube via the retrosternal route was then achieved. Finally, thoracoscopic esophagectomy with the patient in the right decubitus position was successfully completed. Postoperative recovery was uneventful.     

右侧支气管封堵、左侧半俯卧位及气胸条件下胸腹腔镜联合食管次全切除及选择性三野淋巴结清扫手术的临床分析

目的 初步总结右侧支气管封堵、左侧半俯卧位及气胸条件下胸腹腔镜联合食管次全切除及选择性三野淋巴结清扫手术的临床经验. 方法 食管癌患者120例,均采用右侧支气管封堵、左侧半俯卧位及气胸条件下胸腹腔镜联合食管次全切除及选择性三野淋巴结清扫手术. 结果 120例均采用右侧支气管封堵、左侧半俯卧位及气胸条件同时应用胸腹腔镜联合食管次全切除,73例(60.8％)行二野淋巴结清扫,47例(39.2％)行三野淋巴结清扫.平均手术时间(210.5±23.2)min,其中胸腔镜游离时间平均( 105.4±16.5) min,术中平均出血量(46.7 ±7.3)ml,均无术中输血,平均每例清扫淋巴结(27.3 ±8.6)个,住院时间平均12.6(7～95)d.术后并发症39例(32.5％):吻合口瘘9例(7.5％),喉返神经损伤12例(10.0％),心血管并发症10例(8.3％),肺部并发症8例(6.7％).死亡2例(1.7％),死因为肺部感染.术后病理分期TNM分期:T1N0M013例,T2N0M019例,T2N1-3M0 26例,T3N1 -3M0 62例.结论 采用右侧支气管封堵、左侧半俯卧位及气胸条件下胸腹腔镜联合食管次全切除及选择性三野淋巴结清扫治疗食管癌在技术上是安全可行、值得推广的手术方式.     

Minimally invasive esophagectomy is safe in patients with previous gastric bypass

BackgroundThe prevalence of morbid obesity in the United States has been steadily increasing, and there is an established relationship between obesity and the risk of developing certain cancers. Patients who have undergone prior gastric bypass (GB) and present with newly diagnosed esophageal cancer represent a new and challenging cohort for surgical resection of their disease. We present our case series of consecutive patients with previous GB who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE).MethodsRetrospective review of consecutive patients with a history of GB who underwent a MIE for esophageal cancer between July 2010 and August 2012.ResultsFive patients were identified with a mean age of 57 years. Mean follow-up was 9.1 months. Four patients had undergone laparoscopic GB, and 1 patient had an open GB. Two patients received neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced disease. Minimally invasive procedures were thoracoscopic/laparoscopic esophagectomy with cervical anastomosis in 4 patients and colonic interposition in 1 patient. Mean operative time was 6 hours and 52 minutes. Median length of stay was 7 days. There was no mortality. Postoperative complications occurred in 3 patients and included pneumonia/respiratory failure, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and pyloric stenosis. All patients are alive and disease free at last follow-up.ConclusionsMinimally invasive esophagectomy after prior GB is well tolerated, is technically feasible, and has acceptable oncologic and perioperative outcomes. We conclude that precise endoscopic evaluation before bariatric surgery in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease is essential, as is the necessity for continuing postsurgical surveillance in patients with known Barrett’s esophagitis and for early evaluation in patients who develop new symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease after bariatric surgery.     

Current status and evaluation of thoracoscopic esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer

The current status and evaluation of esophagectomy by thoracoscopic approach for thoracic esophageal cancer are described. The esophagectomy by thoracoscopic approach for thoracic esophageal cancer have been reported in some Instituts since 1996 in Japan. In 10 years, series consisting a large number of esophageal cancer patients have been treated with esophagectomy by thoracoscopic approach and evaluated about operative safety, curabirity and postoperative morbidity. Now, the establishment of training system is the most important subject to achieve the standardization of thoracoscopic esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal caner.     

Is there any benefit to incorporating a laparoscopic procedure into minimally invasive esophagectomy? The impact on perioperative results in patients with esophageal cancer

Background  

The benefit of using the laparoscopic approach in minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) has not been established. We therefore compared the outcome of esophagectomy for patients with esophageal cancer performed with open surgery, video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)/laparotomy (hybrid MIE), and VATS/ laparoscopy (total MIE).     

Current status of minimally invasive esophagectomy for patients with esophageal cancer

Technical advancements and development of endoscopic equipment in thoracoscopic surgery have resulted in increase in the popularity of minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). However, advantages with regard to short-term outcome and oncological feasibility of MIE have not been adequately established. To date, a number of single-institution studies and several meta-analyses have demonstrated acceptable short-term outcomes of thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, and the outcomes are comparable to those of conventional open esophagectomy (OE). A study group recently reported the results of the first multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) that compared MIE and OE. The incidence of pulmonary infection after surgery was markedly lower in the MIE group than in the OE group. Additional benefits of MIE included less operative blood loss, better postoperative patients’ quality of life, and shorter hospital stay. However, the oncological benefit to patients undergoing MIE has not been scientifically proven because there have been no RCTs to verify the equivalency in long-term survival of patients undergoing MIE compared with that of patients undergoing OE. If future prospective studies indicate oncological benefits, MIE could truly become the standard care for patients with esophageal cancer.     

Hand-Assisted Endoscopic Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

Radical esophagectomy is a highly invasive operation for esophageal cancer, and improved techniques are being sought to reduce the invasiveness of this procedure. We devised a method in which an assistant inserts their left hand into the thoracic cavity, and the operator inserts their left hand into the abdominal cavity through a small incision in the upper quadrant during an endoscopic procedure. Between 1996 and 1999, we performed endoscopic esophagectomy on 18 patients. The median number of mediastinal lymph nodes removed by thoracoscopic surgery was 20.1 ± 9.4 and the median number of abdominal lymph nodes removed by laparoscopic surgery was 11.1 ± 5.6. The number of nodes dissected by endoscopic surgery did not differ significantly from the number of nodes dissected by conventional thoracotomy with laparotomy. Our experience shows that endoscopic esophagectomy with reconstruction of the esophagus assisted by inserting the hand into the thoracic and abdominal cavity, for safety and certainty, is an effective technique that is much less invasive than radical esophagectomy performed by conventional thoracotomy with laparotomy. Received: January 21, 2002 / Accepted: July 2, 2002 Reprint requests to: S. Okushiba     

Post-esophagectomy chylous leakage from a duplicated left-sided thoracic duct ligated successfully with left-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Three months after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, a 58-year-old man presented with fluid trapped in his upper mediastinum due to chylous leakage from a duplicated left-sided thoracic duct that remained after excision of the main thoracic duct. Classical lymphangiography using lipiodol confirmed the presence of duplicated thoracic ducts. Conservative treatments were not effective, and then we performed ligation of the left-sided thoracic duct with left-sided video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Anatomic variations of the thoracic duct can result in chylous leakage after thoracic surgery. Even if the patient has anomaly of the thoracic duct, classical lymphangiography is useful for detecting locations of the thoracic duct precisely, allowing for certain ligation of the duct with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.     

Thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy for benign and malignant disease: lessons learned from 46 consecutive procedures

BACKGROUND: Transhiatal and transthoracic esophagectomy are common approaches for esophageal resection. The literature is limited regarding the combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic approach to esophagectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy for the treatment of benign and malignant esophageal disease. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective chart review of 46 consecutive minimally invasive esophagectomies performed between August 1998 and September 2002. Indications for esophagectomy were carcinoma (n = 38), Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia (n = 3), and recalcitrant stricture (n = 5). Of 38 patients with carcinoma 23 (61%) had neoadjuvant therapy. The main outcome measures were operative time, blood loss, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, conversion rate, morbidity, mortality, pathology, disease recurrence, and survival. RESULTS: Approaches to esophagectomy were thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy (n = 41), thoracoscopic and laparoscopic Ivor Lewis resection (n = 3), abdominal only laparoscopic esophagogastrectomy (n = 1), and hand-assisted laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy (n = 1). Minimally invasive esophagectomy was successfully completed in 45 (97.8%) of 46 patients. The mean operative time was 350 +/- 75 minutes and the mean blood loss was 279 +/- 184 mL. The median length of intensive care unit stay was 2 days and median length of stay was 8 days. Major complications occurred in 17.4% of patients and minor complications occurred in 10.8%. Late complications were seen in 26.1% of patients. The overall mortality was 4.3%. Among the 38 patients who underwent esophagectomy for cancer the 3-year survival was 57%. In a mean followup of 26 months there was no trocar site or neck wound recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: A thoracoscopic and laparoscopic approach to esophagectomy is technically feasible and safe for the treatment of benign and malignant esophageal disease. With a mean followup of 26 months thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy appears to be an oncologically acceptable surgical approach for the treatment of esophageal cancer.     

Thoracoscopic and laparoscopic esophagectomy

Esophagectomy is both complex and challenging, and it may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. With improvements in instrumentation and increasing experience with laparoscopic and thoracoscopic techniques, minimally invasive approaches to esophagectomy are being explored to determine feasibility, results, and potential advantages. Most of this experience has been with case studies or small series, with many surgeons using thoracoscopy in combination with standard laparotomy. Many of the patients have been carefully selected for these procedures because they have small tumors or high-grade dysplasia. Our technique for esophagectomy has evolved from a laparoscopic transhiatal approach to a combined laparoscopic and thoracoscopic approach. Our experience with this procedure has increased, and now we offer this approach to the majority of patients with resectable cancers. We review our operative technique and the results of surgery in our first 50 patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy for cancer or high-grade dysplasia.     

Endoscopic surgery for malignant esophageal disease

Endoscopic surgery for benign esophageal disease has been well established and is widely performed. On the other hand, endoscopic surgery for malignant esophageal disease has not yet been well established. However, we have developed and have been performing thoracoscopic esophagectomy with lymphadenectomy for esophageal cancer. We introduce here the results of our endoscopic surgery for esophageal cancer. In the early period of this surgery, more operative complications occurred, such as recurrent nerve palsy, chirothorax, bleeding, etc. However, these complications have gradually decreased. The survival rates of patients in each pathological stage who underwent this surgery are comparable to those of patients who underwent conventional surgery. In conclusion, thoracoscopic esophagectomy has become safe and will be acknowledged as the standard procedure for the treatment of esophageal cancer.     

Minimally invasive esophagectomy: the evolution and technique of minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer

Beginning with the widespread introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in late 1989, minimally invasive surgical technique has been refined in conjunction with the development of advanced instrumentation and have subsequently been applied to increasingly complicated disease processes. Esophageal surgeons have increasingly incorporated minimally invasive surgery into their practice since the first laparoscopic fundoplication was described by Dallemagne et al. in 1991. Esophagectomy is associated with significant morbidity and mortality even in highly experienced centers. Many esophageal surgeons have had a great deal of interest in minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE), which has the potential advantages of being a less traumatic procedure with a resultant improvement in postoperative convalescence and fewer wound and cardiopulmonary complications compared to the open approaches. Throughout the 1990s, as confidence with laparoscopic surgery of the esophagogastric junction grew, MIE was initially attempted with hybrid operations combining traditional open surgery with minimally invasive approaches. Subsequently, a totally laparoscopic transhiatal approach was described; however, this approach was perceived to be very challenging and has not gained widespread acceptance. Approaches used at present depend on cancer stage, cancer location, body habitus, and pulmonary function. For localized cancer (T1N0) or HGD, we prefer laparoscopic inversion esophagectomy (retrograde or antigrade). This approach may also be used for patients at high risk for thoracotomy. For locally advanced cancer in the middle third of the esophagus or for proximal third esophageal cancer, we prefer 3-field MIE (abdomen, and chest with neck anastomosis). For locally advanced cancer in the distal esophagus, especially in patients with a short thick neck, we prefer thoracoscopic-laparoscopic (2-field) esophagectomy (TLE).