Totally laparoscopic trans-hiatal gastroesophagectomy for benign diseases of the esophago-gastric junction

AIM: To prospectively present our initial experience with totally laparoscopic transhiatal esophagogastrectomies for benign diseases of the cardia and distal esophagus. METHODS: Laparoscopic gastric mobilization and tubularization combined with transhiatal esophageal dissection and intrathoracic esophagogastric anastomosis accomplished by a circular stapler was done in 3 patients. There were 2 females and 1 male patient with a mean age of 73 +/- 5 years. RESULTS: Two patients were operated on due to benign stromal tumor of the cardia and one patient had severe oesophageal peptic stenosis. Mean blood loss was 47 +/- 15 mL and mean operating time was 130 +/- 10 min. There were no cases that required conversion to laparotomy. All patients were extubated immediately after surgery. Soft diet intake and ambulation times were 5.1 +/- 0.4 d and 2.6 +/- 0.6 d, respectively. There were no intraoperative and postoperative complications and there were no perioperative deaths. The average length of hospital stay was 9.3 +/- 3 d. All procedures were curative and all resected margins were tumor free. The mean number of retrieved lymph nodes was 18 +/- 8. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic transhiatal esophago-gastrectomy for benign lesions has good effects and proves feasible and safe.