Thoracoscopic Surgery
Esophageal Cancer & Surgery
Restoring the joy of eating. Cancer of the food pipe often causes difficulty swallowing (Dysphagia). We use minimally invasive thoracoscopic techniques to remove the tumor and reconstruct the food pipe using the stomach, avoiding large chest incisions.
Symptoms to Watch
Early esophageal cancer often has no symptoms. As it grows, the food pipe narrows.
- Dysphagia: Food getting "stuck" in the chest. Starts with solids, then liquids.
- Weight Loss: Unintentional loss of >5kg.
- Pain: Pain behind the breastbone or in the throat.
- Hoarseness: Change in voice or chronic cough.
The Procedure: McKeown's Esophagectomy
This is a complex 3-stage surgery performed through keyholes (Thoracoscopy/Laparoscopy) to minimize pain and lung complications.
Fig 1. We mobilize the stomach and pull it up to the neck to replace the diseased food pipe.
- Stage 1 (Chest): Mobilizing the esophagus and clearing lymph nodes using Thoracoscopy.
- Stage 2 (Abdomen): Preparing the stomach to form a new tube (Conduit).
- Stage 3 (Neck): Joining the new stomach tube to the upper food pipe.
Recovery
Recovery is intensive but manageable with our protocol:
- ICU Stay: 2-3 days for lung monitoring.
- Feeding: You will be fed via a small tube (Jejunostomy) for 5-7 days while the internal join heals.
- Oral Diet: Liquids start on Day 7 after a "Leak Test" scan confirms healing.