title: Free colon transfer: a versatile method for reconstruction of pharyngoesophageal defects with a large pharyngostoma.
abstract: Free transverse colon transfers based on the middle colic vessels were used to reconstruct a pharyngoesophageal defect in 9 patients. In all patients, cancer invaded up to the oropharynx. Resection resulted in a larger pharyngostoma than normally seen following standard total pharyngolaryngoesophagectomy. In such cases, it can be difficult to achieve good swallowing function after reconstruction using the free jejunal transfer. This mainly results from a significant discrepancy between the diameter of the pharyngostoma and that of the jejunum. Compared to the jejunum, the transverse colon has a larger diameter with a longer vascular pedicle and can provide a longer, straight intestinal tube, facilitating easy passage of a food bolus. In our series, all transfers survived well and all patients had good swallowing function postoperatively. We consider that a free colon transfer is more suitable than a free jejunal transfer for pharyngoesophageal reconstruction in patients with a large pharyngostoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakatsuka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harii
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haneda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nibu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ichimura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003106:Colon / Q000637:transplantation*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010611:Pharyngectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome