Esophagectomy for Cancer

Esophagectomy is the primary surgical intervention for esophageal cancer and may be used to address infections, diseases or pre-cancerous conditions of the esophagus. In cases where cancer is caught early on, only a small section of the esophagus may need to be removed via esophagectomy. Following this procedure, most individuals will require a feeding tube, which is inserted directly into the stomach via another procedure. The feeding tube is connected to a bag that filters liquid formula-like nutrients into the person’s stomach. There are risks and complications associated with this procedure that your doctor will discuss with you before surgery.