Two-phase laparoscopic-assisted oesophago-gastrectomy: a single-unit experience of 111 consecutive cases and outcomes

Minimal access surgery for oesophago-gastric cancer is topical and demanding, and approaches vary significantly. There is little data on the hybrid technique of laparoscopic-assisted two-phase oesophago-gastrectomy (LA2OG). Here we aim to review our experience, which exceeds 10 years, of this technique for oesophageal malignancy.

From June 1998 to May 2009, 111 patients underwent LA2OG. Patients included 84 men and 27 women with mean age 65 years (range 35-85 years). Retrospective analysis of indications, outcome, staging, complications and survival was performed.

The majority of resections (96%) were performed for gastro-oesophageal junction or distal oesophageal pathology. Indications included adenocarcinoma (84.7%), squamous cell carcinoma (7.2%) and high-grade dysplasia (5.4%). Of patients, 67.6% received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The median time for the laparoscopic phase was 207 min (range 105-600 min), and 420 min (range 210-780 min) overall. Estimated blood loss was 330 ml (range 100-1,200 ml). Median critical care and post-operative stays were 3 and 14 days, respectively. Over time, the radicality of surgery increased. From 1998 to 2001 median lymph node yield was 5, from 2002 to 2005 it was 12 nodes, and from 2006 to 2009 it was 28 nodes (p < 0.001). The overall complication rate was 38.7%, minor in 24.3%, with anastomotic leak rate of 5.5%. Median survival was 38.5 ± 5.4 months. Thirty-day and in-hospital mortality were 1.8 and 2.7%, respectively.

Two-stage laparoscopic-assisted oesophago-gastrectomy is a safe staged method of developing minimal access surgery for oesophago-gastric cancer. This study provides a useful reference for comparison with other minimally invasive methods.