Robot-Assisted McKeown Procedure via a Cervical Mediastinoscopy Avoiding an Abdominal and Thoracic Incision.

Total esophagectomy for esophageal cancer is associated with high morbidity. The avoidance of a thoracic access could especially reduce the occurrence of pulmonary complications. Therefore, the combination of a high transhiatal dissection of the esophagus and a neck access with mediastinal dissection of the esophagus appears to be a possibility to reduce the pulmonary risks.

Robot-assisted cervical esophagectomy (RACE procedure) using a single port combined with a transhiatal approach in a rendezvous technique: a case series.

Background: Difficulties in thoracic access and the risk of pulmonary complications are major problems in esophageal surgery. Transhiatal techniques have been described to avoid the thoracic approach, but their oncological radicality continues to be questioned. A combination of a cervical and transhiatal approach, however, appears promising.