LAUSR

The rates of thoracoscopic esophagectomy performed in the prone and left lateral decubitus positions are similar in Japan. We retrospectively reviewed short term outcomes of thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer performed in the left lateral decubitus position under artificial pneumothorax by CO2 insufflation in a single institution. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of applying this procedure. Between July 2013 and March 2017, 83 patients with esophageal cancer underwent thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the left lateral decubitus position under artificial pneumothorax by CO2 insufflation. The thoracic procedure is performed as follows: The lymph nodes around the right recurrent laryngeal nerve are dissected. On the cranial side, the lymph node dissection is advanced to the level of the inferior thyroid artery. Then, the assistant rotates the trachea toward the ventral side, and the lymph nodes around the left recurrent laryngeal nerve are dissected. The middle and inferior mediastinal lymph nodes are dissected including supradiaphragmatic lymph nodes and the dorsal lymph nodes around the thoracic descending aorta. Then, the esophagus is transected using an automatic suture device. Finally, the tracheal bifurcation area lymph nodes are dissected. We retrospectively analyzed these patients. The completion rate of thoracoscopic esophagectomy was 94.0%, and the procedure was converted to thoracotomy in five patients, due to hemorrhage, severe adhesion. The mean intrathoracic operative time, intrathoracic blood loss, and number of dissected mediastinal lymph nodes were 220.0 min, 130.1 mL, and 22.0, respectively. Postoperative complications included pneumonia (8.4%), anastomotic leakage (16.9%), and recurrent nerve paralysis (8.4%). Postoperative (30d) mortality was 1/83 (1.2%) due to ARDS. Standardization of the procedure for thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the left lateral decubitus position under artificial pneumothorax by CO2 insufflation, with a standardized clinical pathway for perioperative care led to favorable surgical outcomes. All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.