New to MyHealth?
Manage Your Care From Anywhere.
Access your health information from any device with MyHealth. You can message your clinic, view lab results, schedule an appointment, and pay your bill.
ALREADY HAVE AN ACCESS CODE?
DON'T HAVE AN ACCESS CODE?
NEED MORE DETAILS?
MyHealth for Mobile
Esophageal: About this Treatment
Types of Esophageal Cancer Surgery
There are several types of esophagectomies. Esophagectomies vary by the number of incisions and where they are made. Your care team’s recommendations for approaches to surgery will depend on the size and location of the tumor.
After removing the cancer, your doctors may use a portion of your stomach to replace the diseased esophagus and restore digestive function. They may move your stomach into the chest or neck to connect to the remaining esophagus. In some cases, when the stomach has been too damaged by disease or earlier surgeries, your doctor may recommend a procedure that substitutes a portion of your intestine for your stomach.
This replacement tube allows food to travel from your mouth to the rest of your gastrointestinal tract. You can still swallow. After an esophagectomy, most people use a temporary feeding tube that was placed at the time of surgery for at least a few weeks to get enough nutrition as you heal. The feeding tube can be removed later during a brief and painless outpatient procedure.
Ivor Lewis esophagectomy
The most common surgery done at Stanford for esophageal cancer is called an Ivor Lewis esophagectomy. In this procedure, the surgeon removes the section of diseased esophagus through incisions in the abdomen and right chest.
Transhiatal esophagectomy
Incisions are made in the abdomen and left neck, and the connection between the esophagus and stomach is made in the neck. This can be a good option for very early stage cancers. Surgeons at Stanford rarely recommend this approach, as it limits the ability to access and remove lymph nodes that may be affected by cancer.
Three-incision esophagectomy
Incisions are made in the abdomen, right chest, and left neck. Surgeons at Stanford generally recommend this approach for tumors that are located high in the esophagus. The left neck incision allows surgeons to access and remove the cancer.
Learn More About Surgery for Esophageal Cancer
Our Approach
About this Treatment
Learn about the conditions treated, risks, techniques, and types of surgery for esophageal cancer.
Patient Care Resources
Learn what to expect as you go through the early steps of your care.