[Surgical results of neck reconstruction in esophageal cancer located at and above the high mid-thoracic segment--a report of 414 cases].

From July 1960 through 1990, a total of 414 patients with esophageal carcinoma, including cervical 29 cases, upper thoracic 239 cases and high mid-thoracic 146 cases, were operated on with reconstruction in neck. The overall resectability rate was 90.8%. The incidences of anastomotic leakage and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury were 20.5% and 12%, respectively. The resection mortality was 7.4% (within 30 days postoperatively). The 1-, 3-, 5-, 10- and 15-years survival rates were 72.3%, 39.5%, 33.1%, 26.6% and 20.5%, respectively. The authors consider that cervical esophagogastrostomy for reconstruction of esophagus after subtotal esophagectomy is an important method and a routine operative type for the surgical management of esophageal cancer at or above high mid-thoracic segment. The main factors influencing the postoperative long-term results were p-TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and the type of resection, either palliative or curative. The preoperative irradiation might remarkably increase resectability, but hardly improved long-term survival.