[Clinical comparative study of minimally invasive esophagectomy versus open esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To explore and evaluate the feasibility, safety, radicality and the short-term outcome of minimally invasive esophagectomy versus open esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.


METHODS
From July 2007 to October 2009, 67 patients with esophageal cancer received minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE group), while 38 patients underwent conventional open esophagectomy (OE group: via right thorax, abdomen, left neck). The operative procedures, clinicopathological data and short-term outcome were collected and compared between the two groups.


RESULTS
The clinical data of the two groups were comparable. No significant differences was found in demographics between the two groups. Median blood loss in MIE group was less than that in OE group (chest: 112.3 ml vs. 175.3 ml, P = 0.035, abdominal: 31.4 ml vs. 100.5 ml, P = 0.026). More patients in OE group were transferred to ICU (P = 0.042) and more obvious pain (P = 0.005). The rate of pulmonary infection and intestinal obstruction in OE group were higher than MIE group (P = 0.046 and 0.045). There were no differences in the number of lymph node dissection for two groups, the average was 20.9 and lymph node metastasis rate was 26.9% in MIE group. Mean follow up was (14.0 ± 2.2) months (range, 2 to 29 months). Recurrence rate and survival rate were no differences.


CONCLUSIONS
The Minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer is feasible, safe, and reliable short-term effect, and can achieve radical tumor resection, which may lead to better future of surgical treatment for esophageal carcinoma.
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Linhai, China.
Bao-fu
BF
Chen
Cheng-chu
CC
Zhu
Chun-guo
CG
Wang
De-hua
DH
Ma
Jiang
J
Lin
Bo
B
Zhang
Min
M
Kong
D000368:Aged; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D016896:Treatment Outcome