Esophagectomy

Overview

Esophagectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a portion of the esophagus and then reconstruct it using part of another organ, usually the stomach or large intestine. Esophagectomy is a common treatment for esophageal cancer, and less common for Barrett's esophagus and achalasia (a swallowing disorder).

Why choose Mayo Clinic

• Experience. Mayo Clinic is one of the world's leading medical centers for esophagectomies, performing more than 200 procedures each year. Studies have shown that people who had esophagectomies at low-volume centers (four or fewer procedures annually) had a much higher risk of dying from the operation than people treated at high-volume centers (more than 19).
• Expertise. At Mayo Clinic, you have access to all the expertise needed to address your problem, no matter how complex. Teams of specialists from thoracic surgery, digestive diseases, oncology and other areas regularly work together to manage your care, before and after surgery.
• Minimally invasive approach. Mayo Clinic doctors can sometimes perform minimally invasive esophagectomies, so that you have less pain, shorter hospital stays and faster recovery than with traditional open surgery.
• Efficient process. Consultations with doctors, testing and treatment can usually be done in a single visit, lasting several days. It is not uncommon to have an evaluation one day and surgery a day or two later, if you wish to act that fast.