Journal of gastrointestinal cancer
Uniportal versus Multiportal Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery for Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy in Esophageal Cancer: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
By Amin F, Fatima R, Iqbal S and 7 others.
Abstract
Background
Minimally invasive esophagectomy has become the preferred surgical approach for esophageal cancer, with uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (uVATS) emerging as a potential refinement over conventional multiportal VATS (mVATS). However, comparative evidence remains limited to small single-centre studies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively evaluate perioperative and safety outcomes of uVATS versus mVATS in patients undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy.
Methods
A systematic search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and CNKI from inception through April 2026. Studies directly comparing uVATS with mVATS in adults undergoing minimally invasive esophagectomy were eligible. Binary outcomes were pooled as odds ratios and continuous outcomes as mean differences under REML random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using I² statistics. Certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE framework.