[Surgical treatment of benign stenosis of the esophagus]

From Nov. 1972 to 1983 Oct., 88 patients with benign stenosis of the esophagus were operated on. The youngest patients was 18 months, and the oldest 63 years. From corrosive injury of esophagus to operation, the shortest period was 13 days and longest 10 years (mean 120 days). In 85 patients, transverse colon was used to replace the esophagus substernally. In 2 patients, reconstruction was done by gastric tube. One patient used transverse colon and part of descending colon. Preoperative gastrostomy was made in 5 patients. There was no operative mortality. One patient developed anastomotic stenosis postoperatively. He refused reoperation and died. The remaining patients survived with a normal life. For the reconstruction of esophagus, problems such as choice of grafts, time of operation, resection of scar or not, and place of anastomosis were discussed.