Free Jejunal Graft: Effects of Longitudinal Myotomy

Pharyngoesophageal reconstruction using the free vascularized jejunal graft results in dysphagia in approximately 20% to 40% of patients. This may be caused by graft contractility, and we therefore developed this canine model to assess the functional effects of myotomy on transplanted jejunum. Nine female dogs underwent microvascular transposition of jejunum to the neck, the bowel being placed subcutaneously with two end jejunostomies. Baseline functional manometry was performed. Five animals then underwent complete longitudinal myotomy and four animals underwent a sham procedure. Graft function was then reevaluated after complete wound healing. Contraction frequency, contraction amplitude, and total work done by the graft were recorded; all grafts demonstrated activity and were more active postrecovery than at the time of operation. Although myotomy animals showed a within-group trend to decreased contractility postintervention, this was not statistically significant. Furthermore, there was no significant postintervention difference between the sham and myotomy groups. We conclude that our model is effective for the study of activity in the free jejunal graft and that longitudinal myotomy does not significantly reduce, let alone ablate contraction.