Intraoperative ICG-guided Lymphography Reduces Chyle Leak Incidence

Indocyanine-green (ICG)-guided lymphography during minimally invasive esophagectomy significantly decreased the incidence of postoperative chyle leak from 11.8% to 4.6% (p=0.026). Additionally, it was linked to a shorter median hospital stay of 9 days compared to 13 days in patients without ICG guidance (p=0.006). Although chyle leaks post-ICG were more likely to necessitate reoperation (p=0.050), the overall outcomes underscore the technique’s value in surgical practice.