This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS
Investigating the proximal limit of lymphadenectomy in patients with adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus in the mid‐thoracic region. BJS 2000; 87: 372-372.
Published: 6th December 2002
Authors: C. W. Vickery, A. D. Hollowood, C. P. Barham, R. H. Hardwick, D. Alderson
Method
Twenty‐six consecutive patients with tumours arising between 29 and 35 cm from the incisor teeth underwent three‐stage oesophagectomy with two‐field lymphadenectomy, including nodes in the recurrent laryngeal chains. The proximal extent was measured by endoscopic ultrasonography and confirmed at operation, with division of the lymph node harvest into anatomical sites according to the Japanese classification of oesophageal cancer.
Results
There were 21 men and five women, with a mean age of 64 (range 42–78) years; seven patients were lymph node negative in both the mediastinal and abdominal fields. Six patients had nodal metastases more than 2 cm above the tumour and all had extensive involvement of other nodes at the level of the tumour or below, with 7, 7, 9, 12, 15 and 18 nodes positive. There were no patients in whom nodes above the tumour contained metastases while those at the level or below were clear.