title: Transhiatal and transthoracic esophagectomy: a comparative study.
abstract: From January 1981 to December 1990, 55 consecutive patients underwent esophageal resection by either the transhiatal (THE, 26 patients) or transthoracic (TTE, 29 patients) approach. Patient age, tumor size, and tumor stage were similar in the two groups. THE patients had a significantly worse mean preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) risk class assigned by the anesthesiologist. Patients who underwent THE had a significantly lower operative mortality and rate of cardiopulmonary complications, significantly shorter intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and a significantly better postoperative survival when operative deaths are included in the analysis. Operative deaths in the TTE group were concentrated among patients > 65 years of age (4 of 9 died), in an ASA risk class > or = III (3 of 7 died) or with moderate or severe cardiac or pulmonary impairment preoperatively (4 of 6 died).
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ochsner Clinic, New Orleans, LA 70121.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bolton
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sardi
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ellis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003964:Diaphragm; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013908:Thoracotomy