Oesophageal resection with cervical oesophagogastrostomy for corrosive oesophageal stricture

An 8-year experience of the surgical treatment of 28 patients with corrosive oesophageal stricture is reviewed. Eight patients underwent oesophageal bypass using colonic or jejunal graft with one death (12.5 per cent mortality). The single death (5 per cent mortality) among 20 patients undergoing oesophageal resection was not related to the technical difficulty of the operation. In 17 of these patients reconstruction was by cervical oesophagogastrostomy and in 2 by pharyngogastrostomy. One case of oesophageal carcinoma occurred among 5 cases of corrosive stricture exceeding 20 years in duration. Oesophageal resection for severe corrosive stricture is not a hazardous procedure as generally believed and is desirable in view of the pre-malignant nature of corrosive stricture. Reconstruction by cervical oesophagogastrostomy after oesophageal resection is advantageous because of its relative simplicity and safety.