Transhiatal oesophagectomy for carcinoma oesophagus. Early experience

Over a period of eighteen months, (June, 89 to Dec, 90) 19 patients underwent Transhiatal Oesophagectomy for carcinoma. Thirteen were males and 6 females, age varying from 32 to 80 years with an average of 48.6 years. Dysphagia was present in all patients, the duration varied from 1.5 to 6 months, average 3.5 months. Pre-operative endoscopy and biopsy was done in all cases. Lesion was located in upper thoracic oesophagus in 6, middle 9 and lower 4. Histology revealed squamous cell carcinoma in 18 and adenocarcinoma in one. Transhiatal oesophagectomy without thoracotomy and cervical oesophagogastric anastomosis was carried out. The stomach was placed in the posterior mediastinum in 13 and retrosternal in 6 cases. Liver metastasis were present in 3, palpably enlarged nodes in 7 and the tumor was adherent to tissues in the mediastinum in 6 cases. Four patients died in hospital, 2 due to myocardial infarction, one due to massive haemetemesis, and the cause of death could not be established in one. Satisfactory relief of dysphagia was achieved in all cases. Oesophagectomy without thoracotomy is safe and better tolerated than the traditional trans-thoracic operations. The experience of one surgical unit is presented.