438. TECHNIQUE OF COMPLETELY ROBOTIC MCKEOWN (3-HOLE) ESOPHAGECTOMY WITH INTRA-CORPOREAL GASTRIC CONDUIT CREATION, AND CERVICAL ESOPHAGO-GASTRIC ANASTOMOSIS FOR MID-ESOPHAGEAL ADENOCARCINOMA

Abstract

Background Esophageal cancer is the 7th leading cause of cancer deaths, with an estimated total case of 22,370 in both males and females in 2024. Adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma account for over 90% of histology at diagnosis. The incidence of adenocarcinoma continues to rise due to the rising incidence and prevalence of obesity, gastro-esophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus. Multi-modality treatment is currently the standard of care for locally advanced disease. This consists of neoadjuvant concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy, followed by esophagectomy. Minimally invasive approaches to esophagectomy are associated with decreased post-operative morbidities and overall satisfactory outcomes. While the Ivor Lewis esophagectomy with intra-thoracic anastomosis is the most common surgical approach to resection of distal esophageal and gastroesophageal (GE) junction tumors, the McKeown (3-hole) esophagectomy with cervical esophago-gastric anastomosis is best suited for tumors located in the proximal and mid-esophagus. Methods We describe our technique of robotic McKeown (3-hole) esophagectomy for mid-esophageal adenocarcinoma after neoadjuvant concurrent chemo-radiation therapy for clinical stage uT3N0M0 tumor. The thoracic esophagus is completely mobilized from the esophageal hiatus of the diaphragm up to the thoracic inlet via a right thoracoscopic approach, with harvesting of the regional lymph nodes together with the specimen. The left neck incision is made along the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the inferior belly of the omohyoid muscle is transected. The cervical esophagus is then completely mobilized into the wound and secured using a Penrose drain. Using a laparoscopic approach, the entire stomach is mobilized with division of the left gastric vessels but careful preservation of the right gastro-epiploic arcade while transecting the greater omentum and the short gastric vessels. An intra-corporeal creation of the gastric conduit then follows. The gastric conduit, secured to the proximal stomach at the resection staple line, is subsequently tunneled via the esophageal hiatus and through the mediastinum to exit at the left neck incision by applying traction on the cervical esophagus. The specimen is separated from the conduit, and the cervical esophagus is transected at the desired location for the anastomosis. A stapled end-to-side but functional end-to-end esophago-gastric anastomosis (Orringer's technique) is then created. Results A completely robotic technique of McKeown (3-hole) esophagectomy without the need to exteriorize the stomach to fashion the gastric conduit via a (mini)laparotomy is successfully accomplished in the majority of our patients with proximal or mid-esophageal tumors. An uneventful postoperative recovery was made. Fluoroscopic esophagram on post-operative day 5 did not demonstrate leakage from the anastomotic site. Gastric conduit emptying was satisfactory despite the lack of a routine gastric drainage procedure or injection of botulinum toxin into the pyloric ring. Conclusion Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic esophageal mobilization combined with laparoscopic completely intra-corporeal fashioning of gastric conduit with cervical esophago-gastric anastomosis is a technically feasible minimally invasive approach to performing McKeown esophagectomy with satisfactory post-operative outcomes and conduit functioning. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gzc1vzdzhzqn7niz95b8t/Robotic-McKeown-Esophagectomy-Video-3.mp4?rlkey=c4ja7s1aob10ah6ps500z7y29&dl=0