[Complications after oesophageal replacement (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Oncology
• Thoracic Surgery

Context:

• Esophageal cancer treatment often necessitates esophageal replacement surgery.
• Colon interposition is a common technique for esophageal substitution.
• Cervical anastomosis leakage is a significant post-operative complication.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the efficacy and complication rates of different esophageal substitution procedures.
• To compare peristaltic versus anisoperistaltic colon interposition.
• To assess the utility of revascularized jejunal autografts for cervical esophageal replacement.

Summary:

• Colon interposition is identified as the optimal procedure for esophageal replacement.
• A higher incidence of cervical anastomosis leakage was observed with anisoperistaltic colon interposition compared to other methods.
• Revascularized jejunal autografts were successfully employed in two cases for cervical esophageal reconstruction.
• No significant difference in complication severity was noted with the addition of a second layer closure.

Impact:

• Findings guide surgical technique selection to minimize cervical anastomosis leakage after esophageal replacement.
• Highlights the potential of revascularized jejunal autografts as a viable option for specific esophageal reconstruction scenarios.
• Contributes to improving patient outcomes in esophageal surgery by refining procedural choices.