Treatment of dysphagia in esophageal carcinoma: Transthoracic En-Bloc esophagectomy and reconstruction 48 hours later

In 82 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer (90% squamous cell carcinoma, 10% adenocarcinoma) transthoracic “en bloc” esophagotomy with regional lymphadenectomy was performed. The reconstruction with gastric interposition was carried out with delayed urgency in a second operation 48–72 h after the initial procedure. The results of this group were compared to a group of 65 patients who had transmediastinal esophagectomy without thoractotomy and mediastinal as well as suprapancreatic lymphadenectomy and immediate reconstruction by gastric interposition. The number of postoperative risk situations concerning cardiopulmonary features were comparable in both groups. The 30-day mortality rate and postoperative morbidity was not significantly different between both patient groups (mortality rate: transthoracic: 6.6%, transmediastinal: 7.7%). The advantages of a 2-stage procedure are that esophagectomy and especially mediastinal lymphadenectomy can be performed precisely without time pressure. After 2 days the stomach is hypotonic and dilated as a result of truncal vagotomy and can easily be elevated to the neck. The interval of 48–72 hours was chosen because the postoperative right-to-left shunt has nearly normalized after this time period. En bloc esophagectomy and reconstruction with delayed urgency can be performed without disadvantages compared to a 1-stage procedure. It can especially be recommended for operations in which esophagectomy and mediastinal lymphadenectomy are difficult and wearisome.