Management of colon ischemia following colon interposition for esophageal substitution

During the past four years three patients have been seen with ischemia of the colon segment following colon interposition. Colon interposition was done for esophageal cancer in two patients and for esophageal stricture following ingestion of lye. Colon ischemia was manifested as early as two weeks in one patient and as late as eight weeks in the others. Colon ischemia presented a frank gangrene with cervical fistula or as dysphagia due to stricture formation. Dysphagia in two patients prompted mechanical dilatation of the colon segment which led to perforation in both cases. All three patients had empyemas. The management of these patients includes proper diagnosis, drainage of abscesses and antibiotic treatment, hyperalimentation and visceral arteriography to delineate the residual colon for reinterposition. Two of the three patients in the series are long-term survivors and are well.