Abstract
Background
We sometimes experience cases of cervical esophageal cancer which requires laryngectomy due to spread of cancer to larynx. We report a case of esophageal cancer resection with preservation of larynx using intraoperative endoscopic submucosal dissection.
Methods
The patient was a 59-year-old woman who had dysphagia. She had received total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction for gastric cancer in 2001, chemoradiation (61.2Gy) for esophageal cancer in 2008. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) was performed for the carcinoma in situ of cervical esophagus in 2016. This time superficial 0-IIc tumor was observed at the same site of the scar of APC, and a biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma. An endoscopic findings revealed two 0-IIc lesions at distance of 18–22 cm, and 32–34 cm from the incisors, and biopsy resulted in a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. Since tumor was close to the esophageal orifice, the tumor invasion to the larynx was suspected. On the other hand, there were no obvious findings of the submucosal layer invasion, and the both tumor were thought to be limited to the epithelium or lamina propria mucosae (EP/LPM). We performed mediastinoscopic and thoracoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy, subcutaneous ileocolic reconstruction.
Results
After confirming the tumor invasion to the esophageal orifice by chromoendoscopy with 1% Lugol's iodine solution, we dissected the whole circumference of esophagus in submucosal layer just above the tumor by ESD, put an incision outside of esophageal wall, and resected the esophagus. We preserved short length of muscle layer and performed reconstruction with hypopharynx-ileum anastomosis. Pathological examination revealed squamous cell carcinoma, pT1a-EP, ly0, v0, pPM0, pDM0, pIM0, and curative resection was performed. The postoperative course was uneventful.
Conclusion
There were no reports of successful larynx-preserving surgery for cervical esophageal cancer using intraoperative ESD. When the tumor was limited in the mucosa, esophagectomy with intraoperative ESD may enable larynx preservation even if the tumor invaded to the esophageal orifice.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
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