Esophageal cancer (EC) is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) is regarded as a safe and effective management for resectable EC. Gastric tube is considered to be an ideal substitute for the resected esophagus, and used for cervical esophagogastric anastomoses for digestive tract reconstruction in MIE. However, the tension at the anastomosed area can not be ignored and may cause cervical anastomotic leakage (CAL) in some cases. Continuous neck flexion is a standard post-operative posture after tracheal resection and reconstruction, and aimed to relieve the anastomotic tension. In this study, the investigators attempt to adopt the maneuver in MIE, and observe its effect on relieving the anastomotic tension and decreasing the incidence of CAL.
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Incidence of post-operative cervical esophagogastric anastomotic leakage
Timeframe: From the day of operation to hospital discharge (an expected average of 2 weeks)