[Left thoracic approach in carcinoma of the esophagogastric junction. Technics and results]

Of 137 patients operated on for adenocarcinoma at the esophageal-gastric junction by left-sided thoracotomy, only 25% were resectable radically, 25% relatively radically. Because of local or distant metastases the tumor was resectable palliatively in 36% of all patients. The 3-year-survival rate after curative resection is 38%. The left-sided approach to a cardia tumor allows good survey and enables radical resection and lymphonodulectomy. The complication rate is lower than after abdominothoracic incision.