title: Cancer of the esophagus: the value of preoperative patient assessment.
abstract: In the past few years, major improvements and new technologies have been proposed and applied in esophageal surgery. Its evolution depended not only on a thorough knowledge of surgical anatomy and technique, but also on important developments in pre- and postoperative care. Esophageal resection for cancer is still associated with high morbidity and mortality. Postoperative complications may be either patient or surgeon related. Patient-related factors include age, malnutrition, immunodepression and associated diseases. The surgeon-related factors are surgical experience, hospital volume and multidisciplinary approach. Preoperative evaluation is defined as the process of clinical assessment that precedes the delivery of anesthesia. The principle is to gain information concerning patients that leads to modification of their management, and improves the outcome from surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Insubria, Viale Borri, 57, 21100 Varese, Italy. gianlorenzo.dionigi@uninsubria.it
authors.forename: Gianlorenzo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dionigi
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rovera
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boni
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellani
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacuzzi
authors.forename: Gianpaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carrafiello
authors.forename: Renzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dionigi
mesh_terms: D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging