Modified layered hand‐sewn cervical end‐to‐side anastomosis for minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy

Minimally invasive McKeown esophagectomy (MIE McKeown) with cervical anastomosis is a widely used approach for the treatment of esophageal cancer (EC). Anastomotic leak is one of the most serious complications following esophagectomy. This study aimed to summarize the anastomosis procedure and assess the clinical outcomes of our modified layered hand-sewn cervical end-to-side anastomosis for cervical anastomosis during MIE McKeown.We retrospectively reviewed clinical data of 508 consecutive EC patients who underwent MIE McKeown using the modified layered hand-sewn cervical end-to-side anastomosis between June 2016 and June 2020.The incidence of anastomotic leakage in our cohort was 2.0%. The postoperative stricture rate was 6.9% and the incidence of other postoperative complications was less than 9.3%. The mean time for setting up MIE McKeown was approximately 211.0 min and the average duration of postoperative hospital stay was 9.1 days.This modified layered hand-sewn cervical end-to-side anastomosis is a safe and effective method for MIE McKeown with a low incidence of anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stricture, or other postoperative complications.