title: Minimally invasive thoracoabdominal esophagectomy in a morbidly obese patient.
abstract: Open approaches to esophagectomy include transhiatial, Ivor-Lewis, left thoracoabdominal, and McKeown, each with inherent advantages and disadvantages. Minimally invasive esophagectomy most commonly refers to a minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis style approach, although transhiatial and McKeown approaches have also been described. A minimally invasive thoracoabdominal esophagectomy has not yet been reported. This minimally invasive approach offers the same advantages as the open thoracoabdominal procedure: excellent exposure, evaluation for resectability before gastric mobilization, and no need for intraoperative repositioning. We describe a minimally invasive thoracoabdominal esophagectomy, the technique, and advantages of this approach in a morbidly obese patient with esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Salvatore A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Parascandola
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC. Electronic address: mbm5@gunet.georgetown.edu.
authors.forename: M Blair
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Marshall
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods*