Tumours of the esophagus and the gastro-esophageal junction are among the most complex operations because they involve both the abdomen and the chest. Traditionally they required a large abdominal incision and another in the chest. Today the whole procedure can be done robotically: mobilising the stomach and clearing lymph nodes in the abdomen, then freeing the esophagus, pulling the stomach into the chest and creating the new join — all through small ports, which reduces pain and lung complications and speeds recovery. Dr. Alzaidi led the team that performed this robotic operation on a 70-year-old patient, the second of its kind in Saudi Arabia's private sector according to the da Vinci database.
Common symptoms
- Progressive difficulty swallowing, solids first then liquids
- Pain or burning on swallowing
- Rapid unintentional weight loss
- Vomiting or regurgitation of food, sometimes blood
- Persistent hoarseness or coughing while eating
- Years of neglected chronic reflux (a major risk factor)
When is surgery an option?
After staging with endoscopy, imaging and biopsy, the case is discussed in the tumour board. Many patients start with chemo-radiotherapy and then undergo surgery. An esophagus exposed to years of neglected acid can develop cell changes (Barrett's esophagus) and then cancer, which is why endoscopic surveillance for chronic reflux patients matters.
Treatment options
- Upper endoscopy with biopsy and staging by CT and PET-CT
- Robotic Ivor Lewis esophagectomy (abdomen then chest) with gastric pull-up and intrathoracic anastomosis
- Robotic partial or total gastrectomy for gastric tumours
- Endoscopic resection of early tumours confined to the superficial layer
- Post-operative follow-up within a multidisciplinary team
Frequently asked questions
How does robotic esophagectomy differ from open surgery?
The surgical goal is the same — removing the tumour and lymph nodes — but the robot does it through small ports instead of two large incisions, meaning less pain, fewer lung complications and a shorter hospital stay.
Book your appointment in Jeddah
Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital – Jeddah (Main Branch) · Monday & Thursday, 5:00 – 8:00 PM