Are there a lot of aftercare visits after an Esophagectomy?

Yes... and no. It depends on a few factors... like any complications you might see... if you have a port... if you have a J tube that needs to be removed... if you are scheduled to do any adjuvant treatments, if you need esophageal dilations, etc. You come on our Zoom call... starts in a little over 2 1/2 hours... at 9am Eastern on Sunday morning... 8am Central... 6am on the west coast. We have a few who had their surgeries between 75 and 83! No doubt the surgeon will want to see you a week or two after your go home from your hospital stay... to check on the healing of your surgical wounds and have a face to face with you after that. But I handled most of the rest of my visits via Zoom calls.

Gary,
southern California

Has anyone had their surgery at Rochester? I am curious, how many after your surgery did you have to go back to Mayo in Rochester? And who does you aftercare? Do you have to go back to a Mayo doctor or can your local doctor/oncologist handle you care after the surgery? I am in my mid 70s and live 100 miles away from Rochester.

I had surgery at Mayo. I'm 75 and live in Iowa and I'm 200 miles from Rochester. I had a follow visit with my surgeon PA a month after the procedure. After this I was to have CT scans every 6 months. I was given the option of returning to Mayo for these or doing them at my local hospital. Having made 4 trips to Mayo in about 2 months, I opted for local scans. But after the first scan I wish I would have returned to May for the scans. The drive (and hotel) didn't seem such a hassle after 6 months, and while my local oncologist was in contact with Mayo for each of the scans (and the images and analyses were sent to Mayo), I would have preferred to be in direct contact with my Mayo oncologist. I couldn't change my original decision because they wanted to have each scan done by the same machine. I had a recurrence 5 years later, went to Mayo for treatment again (chemo/radiation/immuno, not surgery) and have been returning there every 6 months for follow-up scans.

Thank you so much!

Thank you!

I'm curious also. I have appointments in Rochester on April 8th. Esophagectomy planned for the 9th. I've had 4 Chemo treatments. I HATE the Neuropathy but some THC edibles do help a lot!

Have you checked for travel aid in your area?

Never heard of it. Thank you!

I had my Esophagectomy in April 2023 with surgical follow up obviously within a month or so to remove staples and stitches, then at 3 months with surgeon to review healing. After that I've averaged an EGD surgery about every six months to ease swallowing where the scar tissue in my throat has thickened (I assume.) Also monthly follow ups with the cancer center to flush my chemo port to keep it "viable" until it was finally removed about a year after the Esophagectomy, bloodwork for the oncologist every 3 months the first year, then at six months. At my last oncology follow up a few months ago I was declared "cancer free" and scheduled for a checkup in one year
with that doctor; follow up with the surgeon including a CT scan in six months which will probably also cycle to an annual (fingers crossed) unless I need another EGD. A few mild swallowing issues are starting to reoccur so another EGD seems likely.

Did you have FLOT chemo? My husband has had his esophagectomy and is now with the last rounds of FLOT chemo but the last one was rough ( severe nausea and vomiting along w diarrhea) this was #6 of the total 8. Thinking about the gummies for him. Good luck w your surgery