ABSTRACT
Mediastinal surgery is a major undertaking and challenging to both the anesthetist and the surgeon. Esophageal surgery can involvemanipulation of the contents of twomajor body cavities, the thorax and the abdomen, with consequences for the cardiorespiratory and gastrointestinal systems. The management of these patients is often lengthy and multidisciplinary, and the anesthetist has a pivotal role in achieving a successful outcome from any surgical intervention (1). Sherry (2) has identified pulmonary and cardiovascular dysfunction and anastomotic leaks as postoperative complications that might be directly influenced by anesthetic management. Published evidence supports the recommendation that anesthesia and surgery for esophagogastric disease should only be conducted in specialist centers with a minimum level of activity (3,4).
DISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS
