A Multidisciplinary Minimally Invasive Approach Is Necessary for the Contemporary Management of Esophageal...

Esophageal diverticula were traditionally treated with open surgery, which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Management has shifted to minimally invasive approaches with several advantages. We examine outcomes in patients with esophageal diverticula treated with minimally invasive techniques by a multidisciplinary surgical team at a single center. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed for patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery for esophageal diverticula at our institution from June 2010 to December 2022. Primary outcomes were 30-day morbidity and mortality rates. Secondary outcomes were symptom resolution, length of stay (LOS), readmission, and need for reintervention. A total of 28 patients were identified. Twelve patients had pharyngeal diverticula, 7 patients had midesophageal diverticula, and 9 patients had epiphrenic diverticula. Thirty-day morbidity and readmission rates were 10.7% (3 patients), 1 pharyngeal (sepsis), 1 midesophageal (refractory nausea), and 1 epiphrenic (poor oral intake). There were no esophageal leaks. Average LOS was 2.3 days, with the pharyngeal group experiencing a significantly shorter LOS (1.3 days versus 3.4 days for midesophageal, P < .01 versus 2.8 days for epiphrenic, P < .05). Symptom resolution after initial operation was 78.6%. Reintervention rate was 17.9%, and symptom resolution after reintervention was 100%. There were no mortalities. This study demonstrates that esophageal diverticula can be repaired safely and efficiently when performed by a multidisciplinary team utilizing advanced minimally invasive endoscopic and robotic surgical techniques. We advocate for the management of this rare condition at a high-volume center with extensive experience in foregut surgery.