Abstract
The standard esophageal replacement after esophagectomy for cancer treatment is a gastric conduit, as it is a simpler technique than the other options available, requiring only one anastomosis. However, when the stomach is not available, a left- or right colon graft interposition can be performed. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with colon interposition following esophagectomy for cancer and assess the surgical outcomes.
Methods
The clinical data and surgical outcomes form patients who underwent esophagectomy with colon interposition for cancer treatment, in a single institution, between January 1990 and December 2017. The results were compared with cases with gastric reconstruction.
Results
From January 1990 and December 2017, 25 cases of transhiatal esophagectomy with colon interposition were identified. In the same period, 97 cases of transhiatal esophagectomy with gastric pull-up were also performed. The patient’s clinical data and surgical outcomes are presented in Table 1. The indication for performing a colon interposition was positive distal margin in 87% of cases, gastric conduit ischemia in 8,7% and prior gastric surgery in 4,3%. The most common pull-up route was the posterior mediastinum (87%).
Conclusion
Our results are in line with the literature and demonstrate that colon interposition after esophagectomy is feasible and, despite having a significant morbimortality, appears to be a valuable alternative for the challenging situation where the stomach is not available.
