What are the disadvantages of thoracoscopy in the treatment of esophageal cancer?

Esophageal cancer is a malignant digestive tract tumor that occurs in the esophageal mucosa, causing great physical and mental pain to patients. In recent years, with the rapid development of medical diagnosis and treatment technologies, the treatment methods of esophageal cancer have become increasingly diversified, such as esophageal cancer treatment under the guidance of thoracoscopy. However, this technology has shortcomings and deficiencies to a certain extent.

1. Lack of direct touch

The lack of direct tactile sensation of the lesion is a very critical limiting factor for thoracoscopic surgery. Larger tumors and lymph node metastases near important organs such as the trachea, bronchi, and aorta are not indications for thoracoscopic surgery. Patients with scars after radiotherapy or chemotherapy are also not suitable for thoracoscopic surgery, as its safety factor is not high.

2. Over-reliance on surgical instruments

Thoracic operations in thoracoscopic surgery are overly dependent on instruments, and the flexibility and stability of surgical instruments greatly affect the hemostasis effect and operation time. Due to the limitations of surgical instruments, there are certain limitations in handling the mediastinum and chest parietal tissues, which may affect the surgical effect and may aggravate the patient's pain if the operation is not skilled.

3. Damage to the stomach

Thoracoscopic surgery can cause damage to the stomach. The stomach is made into a tube in the abdomen. When it is pulled from the abdomen to the neck, the impact is not as small as when it is pulled from the chest cavity to the neck. Gastric torsion may occur, and the stomach must be pulled out of the abdominal cavity again for adjustment. This prolongs the operation time and aggravates the damage to the stomach. More postoperative complications may occur, and the patient's quality of life may be reduced after surgery.

4. The appearance of chylothorax

In conventional lung cancer surgery, sutures are usually used to ligate the thoracic duct. However, in thoracoscopic surgery, vascular clamps are often used to ligate the thoracic duct. During the operation, due to unclear vision or a slight slip of the thoracic duct during clamping, the vascular clamps fail to completely clamp the thoracic duct. Chylothorax may occur after surgery due to damage or incomplete ligation.