title: Clinical evaluation of the feasibility of minimally invasive surgery in esophageal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Open thoracotomy laparotomy with extended dissection for esophageal cancer is associated with problems such as delayed postoperative recovery and decreased quality of life. In contrast, in minimally invasive surgery, these problems can be improved. In the present study, we investigated the feasibility of minimally invasive surgery in esophageal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, we evaluated esophagectomy performed by the same surgeon in 98 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer. Open surgery was performed in 30 patients (open group), and minimally invasive surgery was performed in 68 patients (MIS group). We compared the invasiveness and radical cure of cancer by minimally invasive surgery with that of open surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison between the open and MIS groups showed that intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative transfused blood volume, and surgical site infection rates were significantly lower in the MIS group. The duration of postoperative endotracheal intubation and hospital stay were significantly shorter in the MIS group. The histopathologic type was squamous cell carcinoma in 93.3% in the open group and 92.6% in the MIS group. The respective 3-year survival rates were 36.7% and 71.5%, and the respective 5-year survival rates were 26.7% and 61.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on a historical control study at a single institution, we are unable to conclude that minimally invasive surgery is superior to open surgery. However, our results indicate that minimally invasive surgery is feasible as a surgical procedure in esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, KKR Sapporo Medical Center - Tonan Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Miyasaka
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okushiba
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Yuma
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawada
authors.forename: You
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawarada
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitashiro
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katoh
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shichinohe
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirano
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D058733:Hand-Assisted Laparoscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D016896:Treatment Outcome