Because nearly all of the esophageal cancer surgeries we perform are minimally invasive, patients often leave the hospital after six days, which is three times lower than the national average.
Nearly 100% of our esophageal cancer surgeries use minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Gastric Conditioning Procedure – Oftentimes esophageal patients receive neoadjuvant therapy before surgery, which uses a combination of chemotherapy and radiation treatment to reduce the tumor before surgery. John Muir Health specializes in this sophisticated procedure, which involves the insertion of a stent in the patient’s esophagus and the re-routing of blood in the stomach to make the neoadjuvant therapy and the subsequent surgery much more tolerable.
Laparoscopic Esophagectomy – With this minimally invasive technique, the surgeon removes all or part of the esophagus and adjacent lymph nodes using a camera-equipped scope and instruments inserted through very small incisions. The end of remaining esophagus is then connected to the stomach to provide a new conduit for food and liquids.
Esophageal Stent Placement – For patients with advanced stage esophageal cancer who cannot under an esophagectomy, the surgeon might place a stent that pushes against the tumor and makes swallowing more comfortable for the patient.
