Minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of esophageal cancer

Esophageal cancer represents the sixth most common cause of the death caused by malignant diseases. The incidence is 11.5/100 000 in men population and 4.7/100 000 in women. It is the eighth most common malignancy. The incidence grows up, it doubled in Slovakia in last period and 5-year survival is only 18 %. Esophagectomy is a huge burden for organism. Mortality varies from 8.1 % to 23 % in low-volume departments in comparison with high-volume centres, where it is lower then 5 %. Complications range after operations is 30 – 80 %. Minimally invasive approach leads to the reduction of mortality and morbidity according to lot of studies. We performed 121 esophagectomies in cancer in period 2010 – 2015 and in 2015 it was 32 operations. We performed 29 totally minimally invasive esophagectomies, 16 hybrid MIE and 66 open esophagectomies. The chylothorax occurs twice, we managed it by surgery. The anastomotic dehiscence represents 9.09 %. Cardiovascular system complications occur in 43 %, need for vasopressors caused by hypotensia was in 44 %. It concluded from that we started with restrictive management of patients during the operation and need for vasopressors last only for two days after the operation and did not cause renal failure or any other complications.30 days mortality was related to MODS evolved by sepsis caused by pneumonia, most common in cirrhotic patients in very poor condition. Tracheoneoesophageal fistula occur in three patients, they all underwent operation, one of them died because of severe pneumonia. We recorded grow number of patient in our institution, which is probably related to better cooperation with gastroenterologists all over Slovakia. (author)