Mediastinoscopic esophagectomy with lymph node dissection using a bilateral transcervical and transhiatal pneumomediastinal approach

Abstract

We developed a method for mediastinoscopic esophagectomy via a bilateral transcervical and transhiatal approach under pneumomediastinum as a less-invasive radical operation. The right recurrent nerve is first identified using an open approach, and the right cervical paraesophageal lymph nodes and part of the right recurrent nerve lymph nodes are dissected, after which pneumomediastinum is initiated. The upper thoracic paraesophageal lymph nodes and right recurrent nerve lymph nodes are dissected along the right vagus nerve. The dorsal side of the esophagus is dissected along the visceral sheath taking care to avoid thoracic duct injury and is then dissected along the vascular sheath in front of the descending aorta. The esophagus is dissected from the trachea at the caudal side of the aortic arch, and then dissected along the ventral side of the left main bronchus, reaching the pulmonary artery. Finally, the right recurrent nerve lymph nodes around the right subclavian artery are completely retrieved. The left cervical approach is almost the same as that via the right side. The dorsal side of the esophagus is almost dissected along the visceral sheath with a right transcervical approach. The subaortic arch to the left tracheobronchial lymph nodes are dissected using the crossover technique. These lymph nodes are easily dissected by cutting the left and ventral side of the lymph nodes because the caudal side is already dissected in the right transcervical approach. A bilateral (especially right trans-cervico-pneumomediastinal) approach is useful for bilateral upper mediastinal lymph node dissection and esophagectomy.