Background: The purpose of this study is to research the value of determination of the safe resection line in the surgical treatment by using the property that healthy esophageal mucosa can be stained with Lugol solution in the patients with esophageal carcinoma.

Methods: Seventeen cases who underwent resection because of esophageal carcinoma were studied between January 2001 and May 2003. In these patients the proximal spread lines of the tumor were determined by using endoscopic Lugol staining preoperatively. After resection, the Lugol staining was repeated in the esophagus specimen. The photos of the stained specimens were taken. Then the maps of the specimens were determined by histopathologically. The photos of the histopathologic maps and the specimens stained with lugol were compared.

Results: Nine of the cases were female and eight were male with mean age 59 ± 11.4 years (range 45 to 76). In 15 cases epidermoid carcinoma, in two cases adeno carcinoma were determined in histopathologic evaluation. Tumors were localized in seven patients at 1/3 lower segment of the esophagus. Fifty-nine percent of the patients were in stage III. It was observed that macroscopic spread with lugol staning was larger in 12 (70%) cases.

Conclusions: It has been confirmed that the Lugol staining can be put in to practice as a simple, practical and safe method to obtain a safe resection line in the determination of the esophageal carcinoma and the mucosal spread.

Keywords : Esophageal carcinoma, Lugol staining, adeno carcinoma, epidermoid carcinoma