Minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer

Minimally invasive surgery has revolutionized the surgical management of benign foregut disease, as well as pulmonary and other gastrointestinal malignancies. With the potential to reduce operative morbidity and increase patient satisfaction, minimally invasive esophagectomy for the management of esophageal cancer is gaining in popularity. It is unclear, however, whether the minimally invasive approach to esophageal cancer resection has comparable long-term oncologic results. This article discusses the rationale for minimally invasive esophagectomy, describes the surgical technique, and reviews the published results.