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Updated: Jun 9, 2025
Low-Cost Single-Port LoCoSP Device for a Transcervical Approach in Minimally Invasive Transhiatal Esophagectomy
Published on: September 11, 2021
Clinical implementation of minimally invasive esophagectomy
Heinz Wykypiel1, Philipp Gehwolf2, Katrin Kienzl-Wagner1
1Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Background:
Minimally invasive surgery is becoming the method of choice for the resection of esophageal cancer worldwide.
Methods:
Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected clinical data in a tertiary care center with a detailed description of the course of the program.
Results:
A total of 136 transthoracic esophageal resections were performed between 2010 and 2023. The study group included 116 operations, 69 of which were fully minimally invasive and 47 hybrid. 80.0% of the study group underwent surgery using a multimodality approach. The median operation time was 431 min (± 103). The R0 resection rate was 100%. Forty-two patients (36.2%) had no postoperative complications. The postoperative Clavien-Dindo > IIIb morbidity was 27%. The postoperative 90-d mortality rate was 1.7%. The average number of lymph nodes removed in the last quarter of cancer patients was 31. The anastomotic insufficiency rate for reoperation was 4% (Ivor-Lewis 4.2%, McKeown 5%).
Conclusions:
With extensive expertise in high-end minimally invasive abdominal and thoracic surgery, implementation of a minimally invasive esophageal resection program with a clinical and oncologic outcome within generally accepted limits is feasible.
