LAUSR

Esophageal duplication cysts are rare developmental anomalies. The prevalence is estimated at 1 in 8200 live births. In adults they are usually an asymptomatic incidental radiographic or endoscopic finding. Definitive diagnosis requires surgical excision and histological examination. Retrospective review of five consecutive patients with esophageal duplication cyst who were managed thoracolaparoscopically between January 2020 and March 2022 in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Four patients underwent thoracoscopic excision while one patient underwent transhiatal excision. The longitudinal muscle layer of the esophagus was opened. The proximal and distal limits of the lesion were delineated and then excised. The lesion was excised using endoGIA stapler in one patient where the lesion was tethered to the mucosa. The overlying layers were sutured. The size of the largest lesion was 9.2 cm x 5.8 cm. The median operating time was 150 minutes (90 to 220 minutes). The median hospital stay was 5 days (5-7 days). The post operative recovery was uneventful in all the patients. Esophageal duplication cysts can be safely managed with minimal morbidity by minimally invasive approaches even when the lesion is large.