Thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

Esophagectomy with lymph node dissection through thoracotomy for esophageal cancer is very invasive to the patients and complications occur frequently. In order to reduce these problems, we have performed thoracoscopic esophagectomy for T1N0 esophageal cancer, From May 1996 to July 1997, four thoracoscopic esophagectomies (TE) have been performed. Under an excellent visualization of the operative field with thoracoscopy, dissection of the mediastinal lymph nodes could be performed easily. Operative complications associated with technique of TE was prolonged air leakage and pyothorax, Operative time and bleeding of TE were not different with those with conventional esophagectomy, The postoperative recovery of TE was not different from that of conventional esophagectomy. Thoracoscopic esophagectomy could be feasible for esophagectomy for esophagus cancer.