Synchronous combined oesophagectomy: a review of 20 cases.

Twenty patients with carcinoma of the oesophagus treated by a modification of the Ivor Lewis oesophagectomy using two surgeons working synchronously were reviewed. All the patients had carcinomas of the middle or lower thirds of the oesophagus. The median age was 68 years. There were 17 males and 3 females. Average total operating time was 3 h 40 min. There was one peri-operative death. The median length of stay was 15 days. The synchronous combined approach to oesophagectomy has advantages, which are discussed, similar to synchronous combined abdomino-perineal resection of the rectum.