Abstract
Since the initial description of laparoscopic fundoplication in 1991 for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease, different minimally invasive procedures have been developed until nowadays, when esophagectomy is performed using combined thoracoscopy and laparoscopy. Objective: The aim of our study is to analyze the intraoperative complications of minimally invasive esophagectomy in prone position.
Methods
Between November 2011 and January 2021, 70 patients underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy in prone position in the Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos General San Martín and private practice of La Plata city.
Results
During the abdominal stage one patient presented coronary vessel injury and the other with short vessel injury. The complications occurring in the thoracic stage included lung injury, azygos arch injury, thoracic duct section, laryngeal recurrent nerve lesion, main stem bronchus injury, and pericardium lesion, during lymph node resection. Most of these complications occurred in the first 30 patients, while in the remaining 40 cases only two complications (p value = 0.4).
Conclusion
Minimally invasive esophagectomy in prone position is a feasible and safe procedure that can cause serious intraoperative complications due to its complexity. Although the results of our series did not show statistically significant differences, the number of complications during surgeries performed by the same team showed an important reduction associated with better training.
Minimally invasive esophagectomy: Preservation of arch of Azygos vein in prone position
