One surgeon’s learning curve for video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer with the patient in lateral position: how many cases are needed to reach competence?

Background Minimally invasive esophagectomy is a feasible technique shown to be safe and oncologically adequate for the treatment of esophageal cancer. This study aimed to describe one surgeon’s learning curve for video-assisted thoracoscopic esophagectomy with the patient in lateral position.