With the widespread application of minimally invasive esophagectomy, inflatable video-assisted mediastinoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy (IVMTE) has gradually become one of the alternative surgical methods for transthoracic esophagectomy due to less trama, fewer perioperative complications and better short-term efficacy. However, there is no uniform standard for surgical methods and lymph node dissection in medical centers that perform IVMTE, which affects the standardization and further promotion of IVMTE. Therefore, on the basis of fully consulting domestic and foreign literature, our team proposed an expert consensus focusing on IVMTE, in order to standardize the clinical practice, guarantee the quality of treatment and promote the development of IMVTE.
ObjectiveTo investigate the safety and effectiveness of near-infrared fluorescence imaging of the thoracic duct (NFITD) using indocyanine green (ICG) during inflatable video-assisted mediastinoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy (IVMTE) for esophageal cancer. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with esophageal cancer who underwent IVMTE at the Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China, from January 2024 to October 2024. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they underwent NFITD: an ICG NFITD group (ITD group) and a non-ICG NFITD group (NITD group). Propensity score matching was used to balance confounding factors, and perioperative data and short-term follow-up results (within 6 months) of the two groups were compared. ResultsA total of 66 patients were included, of which 51 were males and 15 were females, with an average age of (70.9±7.2) years. In the comparison of general information between the two groups, the proportion of patients in the ITD group with preoperative chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was higher than that in the NITD group (P=0.044), and the proportion of patients with preoperative bronchiectasis was lower than that in the NITD group (P=0.035). After propensity score matching at a 1:1 ratio, a total of 15 pairs of patients were successfully matched. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, complications, maximum tumor diameter, pT stage, pN stage, and pTNM stage (P>0.05). The 6-month postoperative follow-up results showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of anastomotic stricture, hoarseness, gastric paralysis, anastomotic leakage, and postoperative adjuvant treatment (P>0.05). ConclusionThe application of NFITD in IVMTE is safe and effective, with a thoracic duct visualization rate of 100.0%. Compared with NITD, ITD prolonged the operation time but increased the number and stations of lymph node dissection without increasing perioperative and short-term postoperative complications (within 6 months), making it worthy of further clinical promotion.
Objective To investigate the feasibility, safety, and short-term efficacy of minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (MIME) in patients with locally advanced thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC) after neoadjuvant immunotherapy. Methods The clinical data of the patients with locally advanced TESCC in the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China from July 2022 to March 2023 were restrospectively analyzed. They were divided into a neoadjuvant immunotherapy (NI) group and a non-neoadjuvant immunotherapy (NNI) group according to different preoperative neoadjuvant therapy. The perioperative clinical data and 3-month follow-up data were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 47 patients were collected, including 31 males and 16 females with a mean age of (67.57±7.64) years. There were 29 patients in the NI group and 18 patients in the NNI group. There were no statistical differences in baseline data, perioperative complications, short-term complications, surgical time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative adjuvant therapy, metastasis/recurrence within 3 months, R0 resection rate, postoperative pathological staging decline, or College of American Pathologists (CAP) tumor regression grade between the two groups (P＞0.05). Conclusion Neoadjuvant immunotherapy combined with minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy can be safely and effectively performed for patients with locally advanced TESCC without increasing operation time, intraoperative blood loss and perioperative complications.
ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility, safety, and effectivity of the application of systematic lymph node dissection (SLND) in inflatable video-assisted mediastinoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy (IVMTE). MethodsThe clinical data of the patients who underwent IVMTE for esophageal cancer in the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China From January to October 2024 were restrospectively analyzed. They were divided into a SLND group and an elective lymph node dissection (ELND) group according to intraoperative lymph node resection. clinical characteristics and perioperative outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 66 patients were enrolled, including 51 males and 15 females, with a mean age of (70.13 ± 8.49) years. There were 12 patients in the selective lymph node dissection (SLND) group and 54 patients in the extended lymph node dissection (ELND) group. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in terms of age, sex, cT stage, tumor location, differentiation grade, pT stage, pN stage, and preoperative comorbidities (P>0.05). statistical differences were observed between the two groups in terms of receiving preoperative neoadjuvant therapy and pTNM staging (P<0.05). There were no statistical differences between the two groups in postoperative complications, operative time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, and left recurrent laryngeal nerve paratracheal lymph node dissection (P>0.05). The SLND group had a higher average number of lymph nodes dissected, number of stations, number of mediastinal lymph nodes, and number of mediastinal stations than the ELND group. statistical differences were observed between the two groups in the dissection of paraesophageal, right recurrent laryngeal nerve, subcarinal, and diaphragmatic lymph nodes (P<0.05). There were no statistical differences between the two groups in mediastinal lymph node metastasis and cervical lymph node metastasis (P>0.05). The SLND group had more abdominal lymph node metastasis than the ELND group, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.034). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that cervical lymph node dissection was a risk factor for postoperative complications (P=0.023). Conclusion SLND is safe and effective in IVMTE. Compared with the ELND group, it increased the number of lymph nodes and stations dissected in the mediastinum, and improved the accuracy of postoperative staging. Meanwhile, it did not prolong operative time or hospital stay, nor did it increase the risk of postoperative complications or non-surgical complications.