What is the difference between 'the Ivor Lewis' operation and the Shark bite' op?

[Bernadette]

[Lynleahy]

Hi Berndette - as far as I am aware none they are both the same - you would not get the so called "shark bite" with the minimally invasive approach but you do with the traditional open approach - the scar on the back which curves round to the front does look just like you have come up against a great white !!!

Regards

Lyn

[Hidden]

Thats correct they ate both the same.The operation that differs slightly is the part Ivor Lewis where there is no scar on front due to laporoscopy which only involve small incisions but the shark bite remains! Its the op I had!!

[Bernadette]

thanks, it was just a few days ago, someone wrote about the Ivor Lewis and one of the replies said they did not have the Ivor Lewis but had the shark bite, so I wondered what the difference was..if any, but now I know.

[SteveJ]

Hi all

Yes it was me who wrote that I had the shark bite, in my case a left sided Oesophagectomy. That is cut from under the shoulder blade around to the sternum. The guy in the bed next to me was cut down his abdomen with a smaller cut under his arm which I presumed was an Ivor Lewis and I know mine wasn't as my surgeon told me. However I'm sure the end result is the same.

Kind Regards

Steve

[Bernadette]

what the guy in the bed next to you may have had a partial Ivor Lewis..well I dont know but I will ask my surgeon when I see him in July..

[Nic02purple]

My husband had a 3 stage oesophagectomy and has a scar on the right ribs, on the front on his stomach and on his breastbone. Think the shark bite just refers to the amount of scars!

[TerryE]

This is the first time I have heard of the shark bite surgery! Sorry however I'll look it up and learn. Ivory Lewis I can advise on since I owe my life to it.

Regards to all.

TerryE

[Bernadette]

the shark bite refers to the shape of the scar..it is very long and wraps around the body from navel up through the ribs and up the back, it can be to the left or the right..not very pretty..but I gave up on looking great the year before I had my shark bite when I had my sternum cut after having a small tumour next to my heart..