Transhiatal versus transthoracic esophagectomy for clinical stage I esophageal carcinoma

Background/Aims: A study was carried out to compare the actuarial survival and postoperative mortality in. two groups of the patients with Clinical Stage I esophageal carcinoma resected with or without intercostal thoracotomy. Material and Methods: Group I included twenty-one patients resected with a transhiatal approach and Group 2 had twenty patients resected with other transthoracic methods. Results: Neither the Kaplan-Meier nor the comparative Mantel-Haeszel test demonstrated a significant difference. Nevertheless the early postoperative deaths are higher in. Group 2 than Group 1. Conclusion: In spite of the incoherent relation between clinical and post-resection staging, rue believe the transhiatal approach for clinical Stage I Esophageal carcinoma is a good decision, especially in patients with liver or bronchopulmonar associated damage. At present, we perform a laparoscopy in theater to check the Liver and avoid ''surprise cirrhosis''.