[Thoracoscopic radical esophagectomy for esophageal cancer]

Thoracoscopic esophagectomy for cancer has become common in the 10 years after the introduction of the procedure, with advances in instrumentation and techniques. Thoracoscopic surgery is associated with the advantage of preserving pulmonary function and reducing pulmonary complications by reducing chest wall injury and blood loss. Although it cannot be evaluated subjectively, understanding the microanatomy under a magnified view, education through viewing on a monitor, and the ability to reproduce the whole procedure are advantages. However, to perform lymph node dissection as efficiently as in open surgery, substantial learning of the procedure is necessary. To steepen the learning curve, sharing and disclosing knowledge and information are essential, as well as direct instruction and hands-on seminars given by skilled experts.