Thoracoscopy-Assisted Esophagectomy vs Transhiatal Esophagectomy for Carcinoma Esophagus: a Prospective Comparison of Short-Term Outcomes.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) was popularized to reduce the morbidity of esophagectomy. Thoracoscopy-assisted esophagectomy (TAE) offers esophageal dissection under magnified vision. This study compares the short-term morbidity and oncological outcome following TAE and THE for esophageal carcinoma. METHODOLOGY: This is a prospective comparative (January 2017-May 2018) study between TAE and THE for >cT1bN1 esophageal carcinoma. After neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT), responders and patients with stable diseases were subjected to surgery. Thoracoscopy in esophagectomy was performed in prone position. Follow-up duration was at least 4 weeks post-discharge. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients of esophageal carcinoma undergoing TAE (n = 18) or THE (n = 15) were included. Common locations of tumor were lower third of esophagus (72.7%) and esophagogastric junction (18.2%). Majority (73.3%) had squamous cell carcinoma. Median interval between NACRT and surgery was 13 weeks. The mean operating time was significantly more with TAE than THE (292.5 vs 207.33 min, p = 0.005). R0 resection rate in TAE was 83.3% compared with 66.7% in THE. There was no difference in the lymph node yield. There was non-significant trend towards lower incidence of major pulmonary complication (66.7% vs 80.0%), cardiac complications (27.8% vs 46.7%), anastomotic leak (27.8% vs 46.7%), recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (16.7% vs 20.0%), and overall major morbidity (Clavien-Dindo ≥ III) (44.4% vs 66.7%) in TAE than THE. The chyle leak was observed more in TAE (16.7%) than THE (6.7%). CONCLUSIONS: TAE achieved higher R0 resection rate and better short-term morbidity than THE. Enrollment of small number of cases in the study precluded statistical significance. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study was registered in Clinical Trial Registry-India (CTRI registration no CTRI/2018/05/013880) in 14-05-2018.