Mortality and morbidity after esophagogastrectomy for cancer of the esophagus and cardia.

Forty-eight esophagastric resections performed for cancer of the esophagus and cardia resulted in a five-year survival rate of four per cent. An operative mortality rate of 23%, comparable to that reported by others, diminishes the value of esophagogastrectomy even for palliation. Nutritional depletion, commonly found in these patients, contributes significantly to the unacceptably high mortality. A review of the recent literature indicates that the routine use of preoperative hyperalimentation and prophylactic antibiotics can significantly reduce morbidity in these high-risk patients and thereby result in better palliation.