Introduction: Surgical resection of cardial and subcardial cancers is often associated with pathological involvement of esophageal section margin, resulting in early anastomotic recurrences. Total gastrectomy associated with partial esophagectomy through combined abdominal and right thoracic approach allows esophageal section under azygos vein.
Patients and methods: We studied, in 17 patients operated on using this procedure, post-operative morbidity, mortality and anastomotic relapse.
Results: No post-operative death, fistula or anastomotic relapse have been observed. Two patients exhibited benign infectious post-operative complication.
Conclusion: Total gastrectomy with partial esophagectomy through combined abdominal and right thoracic approach seems therefore to be considered as a good alternative in the surgical management of cardial and subcardial carcinomas.