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Surgical Endoscopy
Published in: Surgical Endoscopy 12/2010

01-12-2010

Lymphadenectomy along the left recurrent laryngeal nerve by a minimally invasive esophagectomy in the prone position for thoracic esophageal cancer

Authors: Hirokazu Noshiro, Hironori Iwasaki, Kiitiro Kobayashi, Akihiko Uchiyama, Yoshihiro Miyasaka, Toshihiro Masatsugu, Kenta Koike, Kouji Miyazaki

Published in: Surgical Endoscopy | Issue 12/2010

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Abstract

Background

A thoracoabdominal esophagectomy for esophageal cancer is a severely invasive procedure. A thoracoscopic esophagectomy may minimize injury to the chest wall and reduce surgical invasiveness. Conventional thoracoscopic procedures are performed in the left lateral-decubitus position. Recently, procedures performed in the prone position have received more attention because of improvements in operative exposure or surgeon ergonomics. However, the efficacy of the prone position in an aggressive thoracoscopic esophagectomy with an extensive lymphadenectomy has not been fully documented.

Methods

We successfully performed a thoracoscopic esophagectomy with a three-field extensive lymphadenectomy in 43 esophageal carcinoma patients in the prone position from December 2007 to December 2009. We describe our procedures with the patients in the prone position, focusing especially on a lymphadenectomy along the left recurrent laryngeal nerve where the nodes are frequently involved and precise dissection is technically challenging. To determine further the advantages of this position, we retrospectively compared surgical outcomes in 43 patients to those of 34 patients who underwent a thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the left lateral decubitus position as a historical control from January 2006 to November 2007.

Results

It was easier to explore the operative field around the left recurrent laryngeal nerve during a thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position. The mean duration of the aggressive thoracoscopic procedure in the prone position was 307 min, which was significantly longer than in the left lateral decubitus position, but the total estimated blood loss in the prone position was significantly lower. There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two procedures.

Conclusions

A thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position is technically safe and feasible and provides better surgeon ergonomics and better operative exposure around the left recurrent laryngeal nerve during an aggressive esophagectomy.
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Metadata
Title
Lymphadenectomy along the left recurrent laryngeal nerve by a minimally invasive esophagectomy in the prone position for thoracic esophageal cancer
Authors
Hirokazu Noshiro
Hironori Iwasaki
Kiitiro Kobayashi
Akihiko Uchiyama
Yoshihiro Miyasaka
Toshihiro Masatsugu
Kenta Koike
Kouji Miyazaki
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Surgical Endoscopy / Issue 12/2010
Print ISSN: 0930-2794
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2218
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-010-1072-4

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