OBJECTIVETo study the feasibility and effect of Blunt esophageal denudation without thoracotomy in the treatment of cervical esophageal carcinoma with laryngeal function preservation.

METHODSThe data of 28 patients with cervical esophageal carcinoma, collected from Aug. 1997 to Nov. 2005, were investigated retrospectively.

RESULTSAll the 28 patients were diagnosed as cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Among them, 12 patients underwent surgery (surgery group), while the other 16 patients underwent surgery plus radiation therapy preoperatively or postoperatively (multimodality therapy group). No uncontrolled intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage and tracheal tear occurred. The incidence of complications was 21.4% (6/28), including cervical anastomotic leakage in 2 patients and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in 4 patients. The overall 5-year survival rate was 50.3%. The 5-year survival rate was 25.7% in surgery group and 66.1% in multimodality therapy group, and the difference between two groups was statistically significant (chi(2)=4.07; P=0.0438).

CONCLUSIONSBlunt esophageal denudation without thoracotomy in the treatment of cervical esophageal carcinoma with larynx function preservation is possible. Combined with radiotherapy preoperatively or postoperatively, the survival time in patients with cervical esophageal carcinoma is able to be prolonged.