No-thoracotomy visual resection of upper esophageal carcinoma:report of 38 cases

The results of 38 cases with carcinoma of the upper esophageal visual resected without thoracotomy are reported.The patients consisted of 27 males and 11 females.The ages were between 36 to 79 years.The tumors were 1.0 to 7.0cm in length.The lower line of tumors were above the con-vexity of the aortic arch.The operative morbidity rate was 10.5% and no death occurred.The Operation have used cervical incision extending or the addition of a partial upper stenal split facilitates dissection of the tumors under direct vision the middle and lowthorcic normal esoph-ageal was subjected to esophagectomy and esophasosastrostomy or pharyngogastrostomy in the neck.The advantages of this procedure are obvious; a thoracotomy is avoided,thus minimizing the physiologic insult of the operation;its simplicity and satisfactory results,and its wide applic-ation seems justified.