Impact of subcarinal dissection on short-term outcome and survival following esophagectomy

Background

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of subcarinal dissection on short-term outcomes and survival after esophagectomy in patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Methods

Patients without subcarinal dissection were matched randomly to patients with subcarinal dissection in a 1:1 ratio according to 5 baseline variables (gender, pathologic stage, tumor location, histologic grade, and surgical approach) that may have major impacts on short-term outcomes and survival after esophagectomy in patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Preoperative clinical characteristics, short-term outcomes, and survival after esophagectomy of the 2 groups were compared.

Results

There were 128 patients included in each group. Blood loss, postoperative pleural drainage volume, and the incidences of postoperative complications and pulmonary complications in the nondissection group were significantly less than in the dissection group. The comparison of overall survival curves and disease-free survival curves between the 2 groups showed no significant difference (P > .05).

Conclusions

Subcarinal dissection might be futile for patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.