To investigate the surgical methods and the differences of postoperative complications in esophageal cancer patients aged 60 years and over undergoing different operation models.

A total of 542 elderly esophageal cancer patients who underwent thoracic surgery at our hospital between January 2010 and December 2016 were enrolled. Patients were divided into 4 groups: left thoracic incision operation group (n=202) , Ivor-Lewis two incisions operation group (right chest posterolateral and upper abdomen median) (n=251), three incision operation group (left neck-right chest-abdominal midian (n=29), and McKneown under-endoscope minimally invasive operation group (n=60). Clinical data, including the postoperative days, numbers of lymph nodes dissection, pulmonary infection, serous membrane fluid, arrhythmia, chylous fistula, gastric emptying dysfunction and anastomotic leakage, were retrospectively compared between the four groups.

There was no significant difference in the postoperative days, serous membrane fluid, arrhythmia, chylous fistula, gastric emptying dysfunction and anastomotic leakage (P>0.05). The number of lymph nodes dissection in Sweet group, Ivor-Lewis group, Mckeown operation group and minimally invasive Mckneown group were (12.9±7.4)、(19.3±8.6)、(14.3±6.9)and(15.4±7.3)respectively.The number of lymph nodes dissection was more in the Ivor-Lewis group than in the other three groups (F=23.915, P=0.000). Sweet group, Ivor-Lewis group, Mckeown group and minimally invasive Mckneown group were 31.7%、40.2%、24.1% and 50.0% respectively.The incidence of pulmonary infection was higher in the minimally invasive surgery group than in the other three groups (χ²=9.941, P = 0.019).

Ivor-Lewis surgery is more effective in lymph nodes dissection and has a lower incidence of complications in elderly esophageal cancer patients.The minimally invasive surgery group has a higher incidence of pulmonary infection than in the other surgical groups, which may be related with the immaturity of endoscopic technique.

Esophageal neoplasms; Surgical procedures, operative; Postoperative complications