Esophagogastrectomy for carcinoma: current hospital mortality and morbidity rates

Between January 1, 1970, and March 1, 1979, 153 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus or cardia were seen at the Lahey Clinic; 124 (81%) underwent surgical exploration and 102 (82.3%) were found amendable to resection. This report concerns the 82 patients operated on by the senior author, 72 of whom (87.8%) had surgical resection. A variety of resective techniques were used but currently esophagogastrectomy and esophagogastrostomy is preferred, a left thoracotomy being used for low lying lesions; upper thoracic and cervical lesions are approached through a combined abdominal and right thoracic approach or esophagectomy with cervical esophagogastrostomy and without thoracotomy is used. Two deaths occurred within 30 days of operation, a hospital mortality rate of 2.8%. Significant complications developed in 11 patients (15.3%). The average survival was 20.8 months, and satisfactory long-term relief of dysphagia was achieved in 91.2% of patients. An aggressive surgical approach to the management of patients with carcinoma of the esophagus or cardia is justified, for esophagogastrectomy and esophagogastrostomy is applicable to the majority of patients; can now be performed at low risk with a reasonable period of hospitalization; and provides satisfactory long-term palliation.