Laparoscopic transhiatal resection of epiphrenic diverticulum.

Our experience with videolaparoscopic operations for hiatus hernia and achalasia, which have almost replaced classical procedures, enabled us to use the same technique for other interventions in the distal third of the thoracic esophagus. Thus, we were able to treat epiphrenic diverticulum using a minimally invasive approach. We report our experience with videolaparoscopic diverticulum resection. The procedure was performed in three patients, all of them elderly men with ventilation limitation and a history of a chest intervention. The procedure included myotomy and an antireflux procedure. No significant complications occurred during the operations or postoperative periods; a minor leak that was successfully managed conservatively occurred in one patient. We conclude that videolaparoscopy could be a possible alternative to the standard classical left-side thoracotomy approach for patients in whom a classical operation is not feasible.