[Esophageal replacement--indications, technique, results]

Between November 1985 and January 1994 a total of 239 patients were operated for replacement of the esophagus and primary reconstruction. Of these 3 had benign disease and 236 had malignancy. Continuity of the alimentary tract was restored in 202 cases by stomach transposition, in 16 cases by colon interposition and in 21 cases by free jejunal autograft. Complication rate of surgical resection was 36.8%, lethality 5.1%. Lethality of coloninterposition was as low as for gastric transposition (6.3 vs 5.5%). None of the patients with free jejunal autograft died during hospital course (p < 0.001). Survival rates by life-table analysis for the whole group were 65%, 42%, 36%, 32%, and 22% after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years, respectively. The malignant tumors consists of 111 esophageal carcinomas, 104 carcinomas of the esophagogastric junction and 21 carcinomas of the hypopharynx. 15.1% of the tumors were staged I, 42.7% II, 35.7% III and 6.5% IV. The collectives for esophageal carcinoma and cardia carcinoma were equal for age, sex, and distribution of tumor stages. The survival rates for both groups were similar. Differences occurred in a three times higher rate for concomittant hiatal hernia and history of reflux esophagitis in the cardia carcinoma group.