Learning curve of video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy and extensive lymphadenectomy for squamous cell cancer of the thoracic esophagus and results

• DOI: 10.1007/s00464-002-9075-4
• Publication Date: 2003-03-04T19:36:29Z
• Authors: H. Osugi; M. Takemura; M. Higashino; N. Takada; S. Lee; M. Ueno; Y. Tanaka; K. Fukuhara; Y. Hashimoto; Y. Fujiwara; H. Kinoshita
• Keywords: Adult; Aged, 80 and over; Male; Analysis of Variance; Esophageal Neoplasms; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; Blood Loss, Surgical; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Esophagectomy; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Humans; Learning; Lymph Node Excision; Female; Aged

The efficacy of thoracoscopic radical esophagectomy for cancer of the thoracic esophagus and the learning curve required have yet to be clearly established.Eighty treatment-naive patients with esophageal cancer without contiguous spread underwent esophageal mobilization and extensive mediastinal lymphadenectomy through a 5-cm minithoracotomy and four trocar ports. The outcomes in the first 34 patients (group 1) and the last 46 patients (group 2) were compared.There were no differences in background or clinicopathologic factors between the two groups. The duration of the thoracoscopic procedure and blood loss were less (p <0.0001), the incidence of postoperative pulmonary infection was less (p = 0.0127), and the number of mediastinal nodes retrieved was greater (p = 0.0076) in group 2. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that surgical experience (number of cases performed) predicted the risk of pulmonary infection (p = 0.0331).Video-assisted thoracoscopic radical esophagectomy can be performed with safety and efficacy comparable to those of open esophagectomy. Morbidity decreases with the surgeon's experience.