Esophagectomy is the complete removal of the diseased portion of
the esophagus and all associated tissues that might contain
cancer. This surgery is not even considered in 60% of cases.
Even when it is attempted, the procedure is frequently
unsuccessful and has a high mortality rate immediately following
surgery that accounts for 5% to 10%. This is due to the
frequently weakened and malnourished status of the patient by
the time the diagnosis is made, the difficulty of the surgery,
and its proximity to many vital organs. Aggressive surgery,
however, may be justified, particularly for some patients with
lesions in the lower half of the esophagus. Description of the
Procedure For this procedure, both the chest and the upper
abdomen have to be exposed. The esophagus lies at the very back
of the chest, behind the heart and breathing tubes, both of
which have to be moved out of the way or worked around. It may
be that the surgeon, after exploring the cancer site, decides
that the planned procedure cannot be succes