How to ensure immediate and long-term good blood supply by the careful dissection of the marginal artery and supercharge with neck vessels in esophageal reconstruction with the colon segment interposition: 35 years of experience

Conduit Selection for Reconstruction After Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

The reconstruction of the esophagus after esophagectomy presents many technical and management challenges to surgeons. An effective gastrointestinal conduit that replaces the resected esophagus must have adequate length to reach the upper thoracic space or the neck, have robust vascular perfusion, and provide sufficient function for an adequate swallowing mechanism. The stomach is currently the preferred conduit for esophageal reconstruction after esophagectomy. However, there are circumstances, where the stomach cannot be utilized as a conduit. In these cases, an alternative conduit must be considered. The current alternative conduits include colon, jejunum, and tubed skin flaps.

Dysphagia After Esophageal Replacement and Its Treatment

Dysphagia occurs temporarily or permanently following esophageal replacement in at least half of the cases. Swallowing disorder, in addition to severe decline in the quality of life, can lead to a deterioration of the general condition, which may lead to death if left untreated. For this reason, their early detection and treatment are a matter of importance. Between 1993 and 2012, 540 esophageal resections were performed due to malignant tumors at the Department of Surgery, Medical Center of the University of Pécs. Stomach was used for replacement in 445 cases, colon in 38 cases, and jejunum in 57 cases. The anastomosis with a stomach replacement was located to the neck in 275 cases and to the thorax in 170 cases. The colon was pulled up to the neck in each case. There were 29 cases of free jejunal replacements located to the neck and 28 cases with a Roux loop reconstruction located to the thorax. Based on the literature data and own experience, the following were found to be the causes of dysphagia in the order of frequency: anastomotic stenosis, conduit obstruction, peptic and ischemic stricture, foreign body, local recurrence, functional causes, new malignant tumor in the esophageal remnant, and malignant tumor in the organ used for replacement. Causes may overlap each other, and their treatment may be conservative or surgical. The causes of many dysphagic complications might be prevented by improving the anastomosis technique, by better preservation the blood supply of the substitute organ, by consistently applying a functional approach, and by regular follow-up.

Distal-continual colon interposition for esophageal reconstruction after esophagectomy: Two case reports

Background

Colon interposition is a complex and time-consuming procedure requiring at least three or four digestive anastomoses. However, the long-term functional outcomes are promising, with an acceptable operative risk.

Case presentation

Herein, two cases of esophageal carcinoma that received esophagus reconstruction using the distal continual colon interposition technique have been described. The transverse colon was lifted to the thoracic cavity for the end-to-side anastomosis with the esophagus, and a closure device was used to close the colon instead of severing and isolating the distal end. The duration of the operation was 140 and 150 min, respectively. The blood supply of the colon was maintained during the intervention. The tension-free anastomosis was performed without severe complications, and oral food intake was resumed on postoperative day 6. Neither anastomotic stenosis, antiacid or heartburn, dysphagia, or emptying obstacles nor complaints of diarrhea, bloating, or malodor were reported during the follow-up period.

Conclusions

The modified distal-continual colon interposition technique may have the advantages of a short operation time and potential prevention of serious complications caused by the torsion of mesocolon vessels.

Reducing complications in reconstruction of the cervical esophagus with anterolateral thigh flap: The five points protocol

Patients suffering from hypopharyngeal cancer commonly present in the advanced stage and undergo a circumferential pharyngolaryngectomy. The possibility to reconstruct the esophagus and achieve an oral alimentation can significantly reduce the additional burden of a jejunostomy. The cervical esophagus is usually reconstructed with jejunal free flap (JFF) or fasciocutaneous free flap such as the anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap. The latter has proved its donor-site safety and fast recovery. However, it is burdened by a high fistula rate. We present our five points protocol for reducing fistula rate and improving outcome. Twenty-eight patients underwent total pharyngolaryngectomy and required esophageal reconstruction with ALT flap from 2015 to 2020. In each patient, we performed five adjustments: a thicker dermal layer, a two-layer closure, a barrier from the tracheostomy, a nonabsorbable monofilament suture, and two NG tubes to enhance neoesophageal drainage. Twenty-five (89%) patients returned to solid or soft food diet after the reconstruction. Three patients had liquid diet. Contrast media leakage was observed in only 2 (7%) patients during esophagography at three weeks, with only one needing surgical revision. Our five points protocol for ALT reconstruction of cervical esophagus proved to be effective in achieving an incredibly low rate of complications, without the burden of significant donor-site complications.