Permanent extracorporeal esophagogastric tube for esophageal replacement

Six patients are presented in whom an extracorporeal esophagogastric tube bypass was employed in lieu of standard methods of esophageal reconstruction. These tubes, obtained from Japan, have functioned well in 4 of the 6 patients. This approach offers an alternative to gastrostomy feedings alone in a patient with advanced esophageal disease in whom no other method of surgical reconstruction can be offered.