title: Minimally invasive versus open esophagectomy: meta-analysis of outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A meta-analysis of the current literature was performed to compare the perioperative outcome measures and oncological impact between minimally invasive and open esophagectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the electronic databases Medline, Embase, Pubmed and the Cochrane Library, we performed a meta-analysis pooling the effects of outcomes of 1,008 patients enrolled into eight comparative studies, using classic and modern meta-analytic methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two comparisons were considered for this systematic review: (I) open thoracotomy vs. VATS/laparoscopy esophagectomy and (II) open thoracotomy vs. VATS esophagectomy. In comparison I: both procedures report equally comparable outcomes (removed lymph nodes, 30-day mortality, 3-year survival) with the exception of overall morbidity (P = 0.038; in favor of the MIE arm) and anastomotic stricture (P < 0.001; in favor of the open thoracotomy arm). In comparison II: No differences were noted between treatment arms concerning postoperative outcomes and survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, both arms were comparable with regard to perioperative results and prognosis. Further prospective comparative or randomized-controlled trials focusing on the oncological impact of MIE are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Abdominal Surgery, Johannes Gutenberg University Hospital, Mainz, Germany. ggsgourakis@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sgourakis
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gockel
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radtke
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Musholt
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Timm
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rink
authors.forename: Achilleas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsiamis
authors.forename: Constantine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karaliotas
authors.forename: Hauke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007813:Laparotomy; D011379:Prognosis; D012372:ROC Curve; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D013908:Thoracotomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome