Colon interposition after esophagectomy with extended lymphadenectomy for esophageal cancer

The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the feasibility of colon interposition procedures after esophagectomy with extended lymphadenectomy.

Between 1990 and 2008, 95 consecutive patients underwent colon interposition after esophagectomy with extended lymphadenectomy for esophageal cancer in our Institution. We reviewed clinical data and long-term survival, and also investigated the association between anastomotic leakage and clinicopathologic findings.

We applied three-field lymphadenectomy to 71 patients and two-field to 24 patients, by a right thoracotomy. Ninety-two patients underwent reconstruction by a retrosternal route, and a posterior mediastinal route was applied to only three patients. We performed hand-sewn anastomosis in the neck in all cases. Three patients required microvascular surgery. Sixty-one patients (64%) experienced postoperative morbidity, most commonly pulmonary complications. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 12 patients (13%). No colon conduit necrosis was detected. Overall mortality, including hospital mortality, was 5.3%. Dysphagia (39%) and diarrhea (38%) were common and stricture was low (6%) after discharge. The overall 5-year survival rate was 43%. During the latter period (1998 to 2008), when ileocolon grafts evolved as the primary choice for interposition, the rate of leakage decreased from 17% (1990 to 1997) to 5.4%. No mortality was recorded during the latter period.

Results from this study demonstrate that colon interposition after esophagectomy with extended lymphadenectomy is feasible and can have a favorable outcome.