ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF SURGERY PERFORMED OVER A 20-YEAR PERIOD ON 500PATIENTS WITH CANCER OF THE THORACIC ESOPHAGUS

This study was conducted to examine the long-term outcome of 500 patie nts who underwent surgery for cancer of the thoracic esophagus during the past 20 years. Favorable results were obtained with postoperative adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy and there were no surgical deaths in the last 5 years. The mortality rate decreased from 17% prior to 19 80 to 5% between 1981 and 1993, this being most probably attributable to the decreased incidence of suture leakage. With respect to changes in surgical techniques, during the initial years we performed intratho racic anastomosis, after which sternal manubrium resection with anteri or mediastinal esophagogastrostomy was carried out. Subsequently, we i nvented a technique for performing esophagogastrostomy via the posteri or mediastinum. The posterior mediastinum was selected as the most phy siologic route, based on measurement of tissue oxygen tension. Using b lood how determinations obtained by laser-Doppler velocimetry, we conc luded that the effectiveness of thicker gastric tubes was superior to that of thin tubes. Esophagogastrostomy was performed in a shallow fie ld in the cervical region, with the anastomosis ultimately positioned in the superior mediastinum and covered with mediastinal pleura.