Free jejunal pouch graft reconstruction after a resection of hypopharyngeal or cervical esophageal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Pharyngoesophageal reconstruction using the free vascularized jejunal graft sometimes results in dysphagia and this may be caused by anastomotic stenosis at either the distal or proximal anastomotic site, graft contractility and the entrapment of food in the blind loop after an end-to-side pharyngojejunostomy. We therefore applied pouch procedures to the free jejunal graft in order to improve the ability for such patients to consume normal food.


METHODS
We performed this procedure on 4 patients with pharyngoesophageal cancer located within the cervical regions.


RESULTS
As a result, the following post-operative complications occurred in 1 case each: anastomotic leakage at the pharyngojejunostomy (proximal anastomosis) which healed spontaneously, and anastomotic stenosis in jejunoesophagostomy (distal anastomosis) which improved after performing endoscopic dilatation.


CONCLUSIONS
However, these complications were not thought to be due to the pouch procedures and the passage of food was found to be excellent in all cases at the time of discharge.
Kuwano
H
H
Department of Surgery II, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Maekawa
S
S
Sugimachi
K
K
Kumamoto
Y
Y
Komiyama
S
S
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D004944:Esophagoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010614:Pharynx / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods