[The instrumental extirpation of the esophagus via an abdominocervical approach]

The authors operated on 6 patients with cancer of the lower thoracic esophagus and cardioesophageal carcinoma, Stage III. All the patients underwent esophageal extirpation from the abdominocervical access by using an extractor inserted into the esophageal lumen through a cut in its wall above the tumor. The esophagus was drawn out from the mediastinum into the abdomen, similar to subcutaneous vein removal by the Bebcock method. A single esophagoplasty was performed in 4 patients. In the postoperative period one patient died from pulmonary embolism. No complications due to the procedure of esophageal removal were observed. In the authors' opinion, during operations using the abdominocervical access, instrumental esophagectomy by means of an extractor is more traumatic and simple than manual esophageal mobilization.