[Complications of colonic esophagoplasty. Radiologic aspects]

Early or late postoperative complications in 52 patients undergoing colic esophagoplasty for benign (27 cases) or malignant (25 cases) lesions of esophagus are discussed in relation to radiologic findings. Immediate postoperative complications due to infection were mainly bronchopneumopathies (14 cases), their incidence being increased by recurrent nerve palsy, and mediastinitis (3 cases). The frequency of upper anastomotic fistulae (16 cases) emphasizes the need for routine radiologic follow up on the 7th postoperative day by upper digestive tract follow-through examination with water-soluble contrast. Stenosis of upper part of graft may be of ischemic or fibrous origin. Ischemic stenosis develops 2 weeks to 4 months after surgery as a long filiform narrowing. Fibrous stenosis occurs in upper anastomosis at a later stage, after the 3rd month, as a short regular narrowing. Other complications are rare.