Clinical efficacy of exclusive right thoracic approach in esophageal surgery

Objective To investigate the indications and clinical efficacy of an exclusive right thoracic approach in esophageal surgery.
Methods The clinical data of 35 patients with esophageal disease who underwent an exclusive right thoracic approach operation from June 2008 to June 2010 at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 35 patients, 21 were with esophageal cancer, and their ages were above 70 years, the partial pressure of oxygen of arterial blood (PaO2), maximal voluntary ventilation and forced vital capacity of the first second were (70±9)mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa), 51% 2 years, no eating obstruction was detected, and the postoperative 1 and 2 year survival rate were 82.9%(29/35) and 77.1%(27/35), respectively. Of the 8 patients with esophageal cancer who died postoperatively, 1 died of cardiovascular diseases and 7 died of tumor recurrence and metastasis.
Conclusion Exclusive right thoracic appraoch could be used for patients with benign esophageal disease, low grade malignancy and old esophageal cancer patients with poor pulmonary function.