[History of reconstruction following total gastrectomy]

Near a century after the first successful total gastrectomy for gastric cancer, the authors review the various technical proposals for digestive tract reconstruction following total gastrectomy. Following a classification based on duodenal circuit, on the viscerum employed and on the creation of pouches and/or anti-reflux mechanisms, pros and cons of the various classes of reconstructions are clearly depicted, suggesting the reasons that made Roux-en-Y esophago-jejunostomy and jejunal interposition the most used reconstructive procedure in worldwide clinical practice.