Diagnostic evaluation, surgical technique, and perioperative management after esophagectomy: Consensus statement of the German Advanced Surgical Treatment Study Group

Daniel Palmes*, Matthias Brüwer, Franz G. Bader, Michael Betzler, Heinz Becker, Hans Peter Bruch, Markus Büchler, Heinz Buhr, B. Michael Ghadimi, Ulrich T. Hopt, Ralf Konopke, Katja Ott, Stefan Post, Jörg Peter Ritz, Ulrich Ronellenfitsch, Hans Detlev Saeger, Norbert Senninger

*Corresponding author for this work
9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose: Correct diagnosis, surgical treatment, and perioperative management of patients with esophageal carcinoma remain crucial for prognosis within multimodal treatment procedures. This study aims to achieve a consensus regarding current management strategies in esophageal cancer by questioning a panel of experts from the German Advanced Surgical Treatment Study (GAST) group, comprised of 9 centers specialized in esophageal surgery, with a combined total of >220 esophagectomies per year. Materials and methods: The Delphi method, a systematic and interactive, evidence-based approach, was used to obtain consensus statements from the GAST group regarding ambiguities and disparities in diagnosis, patient selection, surgical technique, and perioperative management of patients with esophageal carcinoma. After four rounds of surveys, agreement was measured by Likert scales and defined as full (100% agreement), near (≥66.6% agreement), or no consensus (<66.6% agreement). Results: Full or near consensus was obtained for essential aspects of esophageal cancer staging, proper surgical technique, perioperative management and indication for primary surgery, and neoadjuvant treatment or palliative treatment. No consensus was achieved regarding acceptability of minimally invasive technique and postoperative nutrition after esophagectomy. Conclusion: The GAST consensus statement represents a position paper for treatment of patients with esophageal carcinoma which both contributes to the development of clinical treatment guidelines and outlines topics in need of further clinical studies.

Original languageEnglish
JournalLangenbeck's Archives of Surgery
Volume396
Issue number6
Pages (from-to)857-866
Number of pages10
ISSN1435-2443
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.08.2011

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Diagnostic evaluation, surgical technique, and perioperative management after esophagectomy: Consensus statement of the German Advanced Surgical Treatment Study Group'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this