title: [Comparison of the short-term outcomes of patients with esophageal cancer after subtotal esophagectomy via thoracoscopy in left lateral position and in prone position].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the short-term outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer after subtotal esophagectomy via thoracoscopy in prone position and in left lateral position.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between September 2008 and September 2010, thoraco-laparoscopic esophagectomy (TLE) with thoracoscopic mobilization of the esophagus and mediastinal esophagectomy was performed in 41 patients in prone position (group A) and other 41 patients (group B) performed by the same surgeon in left lateral position.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperatively, the endoscopic location of the tumor was in the upper third in 5 cases (2 vs. 3), the middle third in 21 cases (12 vs. 9), and the lower third in 56 cases (27 vs. 29). The median operative time was 230 (range 170-310) min in group A and 280 (range 190-380) min in group B (P=0.04). The median intraoperative blood loss was 275 (range 100-320) ml in group A and 360 (range 120-670) ml in group B (P=0.09). The median number of lymph nodes dissected was 8.4 (range 4-23) in group A and 6.9 (range 6-21) in group B (P=0.03). The postoperative complications totaled 6 (14.6%) in group A and 8 (17.1%) in group B (P=0.44). After a median follow-up period of 15.7 (range 2-28) months for group A and 16.3 (range 3-31) months for group B, 19 patients in group A died and 21 patients in group B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For esophageal cancer under T3N1M0, surgical outcomes are similar between prone thoracoscopic esophageal mobilization and left lateral position. Prone position may be associated with better lymph node dissection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Huai'an, China. hyllymhly@163.com
authors.forename: Yu-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Jian-Qiang
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Bao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.forename: De-Rong
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016684:Prone Position; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome