Doctor Surgery
Your doctor has told you that you have cancer of the esophagus and need an esophagectomy, which is the surgical removal of the esophagus. This procedure is usually performed with laparoscopic and thorascopic instruments.
You will visit with an anesthesiologist before your procedure, who will ask you questions regarding your medical history. Your will receive general anesthesia during your surgery which put you to sleep.
Surgery
Once you are asleep, your surgeon will make four to five small incisions, and insert tube-like instruments through them. The abdomen will be filled with gas allowing your surgeon to view your abdominal cavity. A camera is then inserted through one of the tubes to display images on a TV monitor. Other instruments will be placed through the additional tubes. This allows your surgeon to work inside your abdomen without having to make a larger incision. After exposing the stomach, the upper portion called the fundus will be stapled off and cut from the rest of the stomach.
The second part of the procedure is the thorascopic stage. Instruments will be inserted into the chest to cut the esophagus. After the fundus and lower esophagus are free, both will be removed. To reestablish continuity of the digestive tract, the stomach will be pulled upward to join with the remaining portion of the esophagus.
After Surgery
Once the surgery is completed, you will be taken to a post-operative unit where you will be monitored. It is important that your bandages be kept clean and dry. You may experience some discomfort, so your surgeon may prescribe pain medication. You may to undergo chemotherapy or radiation therapy following the procedure which is common practice for patients who have cancer. You will stay in the hospital for about a week.
Risks
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Leaking
• Breathing problems
Because of the decreased trauma resulting from a laparoscopic procedure, you should be able to resume normal activities shortly after you are discharged from the hospital. After a month, you may resume your normal diet, but eat in smaller qualities. The reduced size of the stomach limits the capacity to hold food. Instead of eating three large meals, you may choose to eat to several small meals a day.
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