Thoracic surgery focuses on diseases of the thorax (chest), including lung disease and other conditions.
Muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.
Occurs when the LES becomes too relaxed and lets stomach acid seep into the esophagus, causing reflux. In some cases, long-term reflux leads to a change in the cells of the lower end of the esophagus. These altered cells may eventually become cancerous, beginning with the inner layer of the lining and growing outward.
Any of the small, bean-shaped organs located throughout the lymphatic system. The lymph nodes contain the immune system cells lymphocytes, which can trap cancer cells or bacteria that are traveling through the body.
The enlarged, saclike portion of the alimentary canal, one of the principal organs of digestion, located in vertebrates between the esophagus and the small intestine.
An esophagectomy is a procedure for the treatment of esophageal disorders including esophageal cancer.
In this procedure, which is performed under general anesthesia, the part of the esophagus that contains the cancer and nearby lymph nodes are removed. The surgeon either attaches the esophagus directly to the stomach or replaces the removed part of the esophagus with a piece of intestine.
In some cases, a transhiatal esophagectomy (THE) may be performed. Incisions are made in the upper abdomen as well and the neck. Part of the esophagus is removed and part of the stomach is cut into a tube shape and is also removed. The stomach portion is then moved upward through the chest and connected to the small piece of the esophagus remaining in the neck.
This procedure is minimally invasive and performed using small incisions through which specialized equipment and cameras are inserted. This surgery is not appropriate for all patients requiring esophageal surgery. Your physician will determine which surgical approach is best suited to your situation.