Laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy with neoadjuvant chemotherapy to treat carcinoma of the upper esophagus.

e15181 Background: Esophagectomy for Carcinoma of the upper esophagus has traditionally been performed by open methods. Results from most series include mortality rates in excess of 5% and hospital stays frequently greater than 14 days. Laparoscopic transhiatal esophagectomy (LTHE) with neoadjuvant chemotherapy has the potential to improve these results and may lead to a sound outcome, but only a few articles have reported it. The objective of this study is to investigate the method of LTHE with neoadjuvant chemotherapy treating cervical esophageal cancer. Methods: From 2011 to 2012, LTHE was performed in 15 patients with carcinoma of the upper esophagus. There were 11 men and 4 women. Median age was 64 years (range, 44–79). Indications for operation included high-grade dysplasia (n = 4) and cancer (n = 11). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was used in 15 patients. Results: There was no conversion to open procedure. LTHE was successfully completed in 15 patients. The median intensive care unit stay was 1.5 days (...