Conversion minimally invasive esophagectomy is a viable option for cT4b esophageal cancer patients previously deemed unresectable, offering significant benefits.
- Patients undergoing conversion minimally invasive esophagectomy (c-mie) experienced less intraoperative blood loss (79 ml vs. 470 ml, p < 0.001) and a lower risk of anastomotic leakage (4.8% vs. 24%, p = 0.04).
- ICU stays were shorter for c-mie patients (3 days vs. 4 days, p = 0.03).
This approach yields acceptable short-term outcomes and similar long-term survival rates compared to open surgery.
- Three-year overall survival was 63.0% for c-mie versus 39.6% for c-oe, though not statistically significant (p = 0.08).
Comparative Study by Ishiyama K, Nozaki R (…) Daiko H et 6 al. in Dis Esophagus
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