The impact of minimally-invasive esophagectomy operative duration on post-operative outcomes

Esophagectomy, an esophageal cancer treatment mainstay, is a highly morbid procedure. Prolonged operative time, only partially predetermined by case complexity, may be uniquely harmful to minimally-invasive esophagectomy (MIE) patients for numerous reasons, including anastomotic leak, tenuous conduit perfusion and protracted single-lung ventilation, but the impact is unknown. This multi-center retrospective cohort study sought to characterize the relationship between MIE operative time and post-operative outcomes.