Thoracoscopic Esophagectomy in Prone Position: A Cross-Sectional Study

Surgical resection with curative intent is still a central therapeutic option for resectable esophageal cancer. Thoracoscopicesophagectomy in a prone position would give each benefit of the lateral position. The present research aimed to analyze the short-term outcomes of thoracoscopicesophagectomy in the prone position. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. Patients who underwent thoracoscopicesophagectomy in the prone position at Tehran University Cancer institute from January 2017 to December 2018 entered the study. The esophagus was mobilized through the thoracoscopic approach in a prone position. The stomach was released using a laparoscopic approach for the gastric pull-up. Finally, an end-to-end hand-sewn cervical anastomosis was performed. Three, four, seven, one, and one patient suffered from pneumonia, leakage, tracheal tearing, chylothorax, and pneumothorax, respectively, after the operation. In 91.5% of patients, more than ten lymph nodes were resected. Sixty percent of patients were discharged from the hospital earlier than one week. Laparoscopicesophagectomy in the prone position is a feasible alternative. Better exposure and fewer complications were reported.