Abstract

Morbidity, mortality and survival of 224 patients who underwent oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer between 1979 and 1994 were evaluated. Mean age of 75 (33.5%) women and 149 (66.5%) men was found to be 56.4 years. Oesophagectomy was performed by transhiatal (n=175), transabdominal (n=28) and transthoracic (n=17) approaches. Cervical jejunal autograft was performed in 4 patients. The most frequent early postoperative complications were anastomotic leakage (10%) and pulmonary complications (23%). Mortality rate, most frequently due to acute respiratory insufficiency and mediastinitis, was 7.1%. The overall one, two and three year survival rates were 60%, 27% and 24% respectively.