[Use of the sigmoid in esophagoplasty]

The authors worked out the indications for and the technical aspects of subtotal and total esophagoplasty with the left half of the colon together with a segment of the sigmoid colon. The described method allows the formation of an iso- or antiperitaltic graft of any length, in patients who underwent right hemicolectomy also. The operation was conducted on 54 patients with a mortality rate of 1.9%; 9 of them had been subjected earlier to unsuccessful esophagoplasty with the right half of the colon, which terminated in necrosis of the graft.