Table 2.
Randomized trials comparing transthoracic and transhiatal esophagectomy
| Meta-analysis | Goldminc et al[27] | Chu et al[28] | Jacobi et al[29] | Hulscher et al[30,31] |
| No. of patients | 67 | 39 | 32 | 220 |
| Postoperative mortality (%) | ||||
| TT | 8.6 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| TH | 6.2 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Intraoperative blood loss (mL) | ||||
| TT | 1(2.3 units transfused) | 671 | 2270 | 1900 |
| TH | 1(2.3 units transfused) | 724 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Hospital stay (d) | ||||
| TT | 18 | 27 | 21 | 19 |
| TH | 20.5 | 18 | 23 | 15 |
| Postoperative pneumonia (%) | ||||
| TT | 20 | 0 | 31 | 57 (atelectasis included) |
| TH | 19 | 10 | 19 | 27 (atelectasis included) |
| Cardiac complications (%) | ||||
| TT | 1 | 15.8 | 19 | 26 |
| TH | 1 | 15 | 31 | 16 |
| Anastomotic leakage (%) | ||||
| TT | 9 | 0 | 12.5 | 16 (subclinical included) |
| TH | 6 | 0 | 12.5 | 14 (subclinical included) |
| Vocal cord paralysis (%) | ||||
| TT | 3 | 1 | 1 | 21 (transient) |
| TH | 3 | 1 | 1 | 13 (transient) |
| Reported survival (%) | ||||
| TT | 22 at 3 yr | Median survival 13.5 mo | 77 at 1 yr | 36 at 5 yr |
| TH | 30 at 3 yr | Median survival 16 mo | 70 at 1 yr | 34 at 5 yr |
1
Data not reported or did not occur. TT: Transthoracic esophagectomy; TH: Transhiatal esophagectomy.