Minimal access esophagectomy: where are we up to?

Endoscopic techniques for esophagectomy are disparate. The aim of this article is to describe the main surgical endoscopic techniques applied to esophagectomy and to report their results. In most published series, the benefit in terms of postoperative morbidity cannot be demonstrated. This reflects the fact that postoperative morbidity after esophagectomy is related not only with the type of surgical approach but also with other factors related to the patient's status. Finally, the lack of long-term follow-up in most series does not permit to draw conclusion about the relevance of endoscopic esophagectomy. Contrary to other advanced surgical endoscopic procedures, endoscopic esophagectomy has not yet been convincing.