Mini-invasive surgery and esophageal cancer

In the past decade, the development of mini-invasive surgery positively affected operative lethality and morbidity in resections

of the esophagus. Early post-operative complications were always associated with the unfavourable localisation of the esophagus

in the mediastinum, which is only accessible via two approaches. The first, transhiatal approach, represents dissection without

visual control when using a conventional operative method, and the second, thoracotomy, is accompanied by a higher frequency

of respiratory complications. The video-assisted transhiatal approach to the lower half of the esophagus, which we have been using

at the 1st Department of Surgery at the University Hospital Olomouc for the past 11 years, appears to be ideal, since it allows

esophageal resection without opening the thorax and also enables isolation of the esophagus, including local lymphadenectomy

under visual control. The authors in their work present their experiences with this method, including complications and their

subsequent treatment.

Keywords: esophageal cancer, videolaparoscopy, video-assisted esophageal resection