In 22 patients with esophageal cancer, mediastinal lymphnode dissection procedure, with preservation of the right bronchial artery and pulmonary branches of the right vagus nerve, was performed during radical esophagectomy. In patients who underwent this procedure, respiratory function was sufficiently maintained against severe complications and the operative and hospital death rate was less than that of other esophagectomized patients.

A giant leiomyoma of the esophagus, 11.5 X 5.0 cm in size, which occupied half of the esophageal circumference, was surgically enucleated. A small epithelial defect caused by the enucleation of the tumor was directly closed, and a large muscular defect was covered with a latissimus dorsi muscle flap, introduced into the thoracic cavity through the space where the second rib had been resected. Postoperatively, a leakage at the epithelial suture line was noted, however, it was localized by the muscle flap coverage and spontaneously healed two weeks postoperatively. During the follow-up period of 1.5 years, no diverticle formation or stenosis occurred, and the patient had no complaints. The present clinical experience indicates that this procedure may be a useful method of grafting after excision of giant leiomyoma of the esophagus.

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