Resection Of Esophageal Carcinoma Via VATS Or Mediastinoscope Associated With Laparoscope

38 patients of esophageal carcinoma were chosen as object from March 2004 to December 2006. 20 patients underwent esophagectomy and local lymph nodes resection via minimally invasive thoracotomy associated with VATS , all of them underwent stomach mobilization with laproscope. 18 patients underwent esophagectomy and local lymph nodes resection with mediastinoscope , 8 of them underwent stomach mobilization with laproscope and 10 of them with traditional open method. The results showed that the methods of esophagectomy via VATS or mediastinoscope associated with laparoscope were safe and feasible, which reduced surgical trauma, bleeding, incisional pain and decreased postoperative lung complications. Also minimally invasive esophagectomy with endoscope has the same effect in thoracic and abdominal lymph nodes resection as traditional open surgery.