The incidence of esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer has been significantly increasing in Western countries. Appropriate planning for surgical therapy requires a reliable classification of EGJ ...cancers with respect to their exact location. Clinically, the most accepted classification of EGJ cancers is "adenocarcinoma of the EGJ" (AEG or "Siewert"), which divides tumor center localization into AEG type I (distal esophagus), AEG type II ("true junction"), and AEG type III (subcardial stomach). Treatment strategies in western countries routinely employ perioperative chemotherapy or neoadjuvant chemoradiation for cases of locally advanced cancers. The standard surgical treatment strategies are esophagectomy for AEG type I and gastrectomy for AEG type III cancers. For "true junctional cancers," i.e., AEG type II, whether the extension of resection in the oral or aboral direction represents the most effective surgical therapy remains debatable. This article reviews the history of surgical EGJ cancer treatment and current surgical strategies from a Western perspective.
Radical gastrectomy with extended lymph node dissection is standard for gastric cancer.1,2 The extent of lymph node dissection is defined as D1 for the perigastric area, whereas D2 lymph node ...dissection comprises tissue surrounding the next level of lymphatic vessels, including the hepatic artery proper, common hepatic artery, splenic vessels, and splenic hilum.1 Radical D2-lymphadenectomy for advanced gastric cancer had previously been accepted as the surgical standard in Japan and Korea, and the generalisability of this technique was confirmed by a Dutch trial.3 Besides evidence for the extent of standardised lymphadenectomy, surgeons have been concerned about potential spillage of cancer cells from the lymphatic vessels into the peritoneal cavity during surgery, which could lead to metastatic disease after surgery, especially in patients with advanced-stage cancer. ...in gastric cancer surgery, not only the extent of lymph node dissection (D2 or D1), but also the technique by which it is done (avoidance of cell spillage from the lymphatics and lumen) is of importance. Additionally, intraoperative visualisation of lymphatic channels by near infra-red camera with indocyanine green fluorescence can provide a more effective and safe method of lymph node dissection.7 Other efforts are focused on cancer imaging technology to guide the extent of surgery using cancer-specific tracers.
Adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) still represent a certain surgical challenge. In contrary to the trend of thoracoabdominal surgery for AEG I and AEG II cancer, the proximal ...gastrectomy is regaining popularity through new reconstruction methods such as the double tract reconstruction. Proximal gastrectomy followed by double tract reconstruction represents an alternative for the thoracoabdominal approach for suitable AEG II cancer and an alternative to the total gastrectomy for AEG III cancers. Latest studies suggest a functional benefit of proximal gastrectomy and double tract reconstruction in comparison to total gastrectomy. The accurate indication for proximal gastrectomy for locally advanced cancers has to be established in the near future as well as the influence of the size of the remnant stomach on the outcome, as Asian techniques for early lesions sometimes significantly differ from European. The following article reflects the present evidence on proximal gastrectomy and double tract reconstruction as well as technical aspects in the context of cancer of the esophagogastric junction.
Abstract
For patients undergoing an Ivor Lewis esophagectomy with a circular stapled anastomosis, the optimal diameter of the used circular stapler to restore continuity is unknown. The aim of this ...study was to compare the 25 mm stapled versus the 28 mm stapled esophagogastric anastomosis after Ivor Lewis esophagectomy, focusing on anastomotic insufficiency and post- operative anastomotic strictures.
Between February 2008 and June 2019, 349 consecutive patients underwent Ivor Lewis esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction and circular stapled anastomosis. Patient characteristics and postoperative results, such as anastomotic insufficiency rates, postoperative anastomotic stricture rates, time to anastomotic stricture rate, and the number of dilatations, were recorded in a prospective database and analyzed.
In 222 patients (64%), the 25 mm circular stapler was used. There were no differences in baseline characteristics. Anastomotic insufficiency rates were comparable between the 25 mm (12%) and the 28 mm groups (11%) (p = 0.751). There were no differences between postoperative anastomotic strictures in the 25 mm (14%) and the 28 mm groups (14%) (p = 0.863). Within patients with postoperative anastomotic strictures, a median number of 2 dilatations were observed in each group (p = 0.573) without differences in the time to first diagnosis (p = 0.412).
There were no differences in anastomotic insufficiency and postoperative anastomotic stricture rates between the 25 mm and the 28 mm circular stapled esophagogastric anastomosis after Ivor Lewis esophagectomy. Both the 25 mm and 28 mm stapler can be safely used to create a circular stapled esophagogastric anastomosis to restore continuity after esophagectomy.
Abstract
For patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma or cancer of the gastroesophageal junction, radical esophagectomy with 2-field lymphadenectomy is the cornerstone of the multimodality treatment ...with curative intent. Both conventional minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) and robot assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) were shown to be superior compared to open transthoracic esophagectomy considering postoperative complications. However, no randomized comparison exists between MIE and RAMIE in the Western World for patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma.
This is an investigator-initiated and investigator-driven multicenter randomized controlled parallel-group superiority trial. All adult patients (age ≥ 18 and ≤ 90 years) with histologically proven, surgically resectable (cT1-4a, N0–3, M0) esophageal adenocarcinoma of the intrathoracic esophagus or adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction and with European Clinical Oncology Group performance status 0, 1 or 2 will be assessed for eligibility and included after obtaining informed consent. Patients (n = 218) with resectable esophageal adenocarcinoma of the intrathoracic esophagus or adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction are randomized to either RAMIE (n = 109) or MIE (n = 109). T.
The primary outcome of this study is the total number of resected abdominal and mediastinal lymph nodes specified per lymph node station.
Short-term results and the primary endpoint (total number of resected abdominal and mediastinal lymph nodes per lymph node station) will be analyzed and published after discharge of the last randomized patient within this trial.
This is the first randomized controlled trial designed to compare RAMIE to MIE as surgical treatment for resectable esophageal adenocarcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction in the Western World. The hypothesis of the proposed study is that RAMIE will result in a higher abdominal and mediastinal lymph node yield specified per station compared to conventional MIE.
Abstract
Currently 4 surgical techniques are performed for transthoracic esophagectomy (open esophagectomy (OE), hybrid esophagectomy (HE), conventional minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) and ...robot assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE). Aim of this study was to compare these 4 different esophagectomy approaches regarding postoperative complications and short term oncologic outcomes.
Between 2008 and 2019, consecutive patients who underwent esophagectomy with gastric conduit reconstruction were included in this single center study. The primary outcome of this study was the incidence of postoperative complications. Overall 422 patients (OE (n = 107), HE (n = 101), MIE (n = 91) and RAMIE (n = 123)) were evaluated.
Uncomplicated postoperative course was observed in 27% (OE), 34% (HE), 53% (MIE), and 63% (RAMIE) of patients (p < 0.001). Pulmonary complications were observed in 57% (OE), 44% (HE), 28% (MIE), and 21% (RAMIE) of patients (p < 0.001). Cardiac complications were present in 25% (OE), 23% (HE), 9% (MIE), and 11% (RAMIE) of patients (p < 0.001). MIE and RAMIE were associated with fewer wound infections (p < 0.001). Median hospital stay was shorter for MIE and RAMIE went compared to OE and HE (p < 0.001). The lymph nodes yield differ significantly between the techniques (p < 0.001).
Total minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE, RAMIE) was associated with a lower overall, pulmonary, cardiac and wound complication rate as well as a shorter hospital stay compared to open or hybrid approach (OE, HE). RAMIE resulted in higher lymph node harvest than MIE.
To define "best possible" outcomes in total minimally invasive transthoracic esophagectomy (ttMIE).
TtMIE, performed by experts in patients with low comorbidity, may serve as a benchmark procedure ...for esophagectomy.
From a cohort of 1057 ttMIE, performed over a 5-year period in 13 high-volume centers for esophageal surgery, we selected a study group of 334 patients (31.6%) that fulfilled criteria of low comorbidity (American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≤2, WHO/ECOG score ≤1, age ≤65 years, body mass index 19-29 kg/m). Endpoints included postoperative morbidity measured by the Clavien-Dindo classification and the comprehensive complication index. Benchmark values were defined as the 75th percentile of the median outcome parameters of the participating centers to represent best achievable results.
Benchmark patients were predominantly male (82.9%) with a median age of 58 years (53-62). High intrathoracic (Ivor Lewis) and cervical esophagogastrostomy (McKeown) were performed in 188 (56.3%) and 146 (43.7%) patients, respectively. Median (IQR) ICU and hospital stay was 0 (0-2) and 12 (9-18) days, respectively. 56.0% of patients developed at least 1 complication, and 26.9% experienced major morbidity (≥grade III), mostly related to pulmonary complications (25.7%), anastomotic leakage (15.9%), and cardiac events (13.5%). Benchmark values at 30 days after hospital discharge were ≤55.7% and ≤30.8% for overall and major complications, ≤18.0% for readmission, ≤3.1% for positive resection margins, and ≥23 for lymph node yield. Benchmarks at 30 and 90 days were ≤1.0% and ≤4.6% for mortality, and ≤40.8 and ≤42.8 for the comprehensive complication index, respectively.
This outcome analysis of patients with low comorbidity undergoing ttMIE may serve as a reference to evaluate surgical performance in major esophageal resection.
Minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis Esophagectomy (MIE) is widely accepted as a surgical treatment of resectable esophageal cancer. Aim of this paper is to describe the surgical details of our standardized ...MIE technique and its safety. We also evaluate the esophageal mobilization in semiprone compared to the left lateral position. A retrospective analysis of 141 consecutive patients who underwent Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy for cancer, from February 2016 to September 2021, was conducted. All the procedures were performed by totally thoraco-laparoscopic with an intrathoracic end-to-side circular stapled anastomosis. Thoracic phase was performed in left lateral position (LLP-group, n=47) followed by a semiprone position (SP-group, n=94). The intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were prospectively collected and analyzed. The procedure was completed without intraoperative complication in 94.68% of cases in SP-group and in 93.62% of cases in LLP-group (P=0.99). The total operative time and thoracic operative time were significantly shorter in SP-group (P=0.0096; P=0.009). No statistically significant differences were detected in postoperative outcomes between the groups, except for anastomotic strictures (higher in LLP-group, P=0.02) and intensive care unit stay (longer in LLP-group, P=00.1). No reoperation was needed in any cases. Surgical radicality was comparable; the median of harvested lymph nodes was significantly higher in SP-group (P<0.0001). The present semiprone technique of thoraco-laparoscopic Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy is safe and feasible but may also provide some advantages in terms of lymph nodes harvested and total operation time.
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