A prospective randomized comparison of transhiatal and transthoracic resection for lower-third esophageal carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The question whether transhiatal (TH) or transthoracic (TT) resection is most suited for the extirpation of an esophageal cancer remains unresolved. The present study compared the two approaches in a prospective randomized manner. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with carcinoma of the lower third of the esophagus who were clinically fit for either TH or TT resection were prospectively randomized to TH (20 patients) and TT (19 patients) resection. Patients of the two groups were comparable in age, sex, pre operative tumor staging, and pulmonary and cardiac risks for surgery. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the amount of blood loss between the two groups although intraoperative hypotension (systolic <80 mm Hg) occurred more frequently in the TH group (P <0.001). The mean operating time for the TH and TT groups were 174 minutes and 210 minutes, respectively (P