A revamped MIC-McKeown operation without removing azygos vein arch, bronchial artery and vagus nerve trunk

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of our revamped MIE-McKeown operation on postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery.

Methods: This revamped MIE-McKeown operation without removing azygos vein arch, bronchial artery and vagus nerve trunk and with the tubular stomach buried throughout esophageal bed and azygos arch, has been implemented from July 2020 to July 2021 by the same medical team of Gaozhou People's Hospital thoracic surgery for 13 times. Preoperative clinical data, main intraoperative indicators and postoperative complications were observed.

Results: All patients had esophageal malignant tumors at the level of middle and lower thoracic non-azygous venous arch, with preoperative clinical stage CT1-2N0M0 stage i-ii. V-vst test was performed on the 7th postoperative day, and 10 patients were found to have no loss of safety/efficacy. There were 2 cases with impaired efficacy and no impaired safety, 1 case with impaired safety. There were 1 cases of pulmonary infection, 1 cases of anastomotic fistula combined with pleural and gastric fistula, 2 cases of hoarseness, 2 cases of arrhythmia, 10 cases of swallowing function were grade i, 2 cases of swallowing function were grade iii, 1 case of swallowing function was grade iv in watian drinking water test one month after operation.

Conclusions: Merit of this revamped MIE-McKeown operation is well preserving the integrity of azygos arch of vagus nerve and bronchial artery, and it is technically safe and feasible. No postoperative mechanical obstruction of thoracostomach, huge thoracostomach and gastrointestinal dysfunction occurs.