Medial approach for subcarinal lymphadenectomy during thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position

In esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), lymph nodes (LNs) around the subcarina and main bronchi are thought to be highly involved. Therefore, complete dissection of these LNs with preservation of the pulmonary branches of the vagus nerves, which control important pulmonary functions, is recommended. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the feasibility of reliable method for lymphadenectomy around the subcarina and main bronchi, named the medial approach, during thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position (TEP).

This was a case-matched control study of patients who underwent TEP for ESCC. The fundamental concept in this method is to first exfoliate the LNs around the subcarina and main bronchi from the pericardium. Developing the operative field contributes to visualizing and preserving the pulmonary branches of the right vagus nerve. Twenty-three patients who underwent the medial approach and 23 patients who underwent the conventional approach were selected by the use of propensity score matching to compare the operative outcomes.

The medial approach significantly reduced operative time for procedure (16 ± 3 vs 30 ± 6 min, p < 0.0001) and operative blood loss (123 ± 108 vs 207 ± 162 ml, p = 0.046) comparing with conventional approach. The incidence of postoperative pneumonia was lower in the medial approach group (4%) than in the conventional approach group (15%) (p = 0.069).

The medial approach for lymphadenectomy around the subcarina and both main bronchi during TEP is technically safe and feasible in shorting the operative time with possibility to reduce postoperative pneumonia.