title: [Vascularisation of a free jejunal graft at the neck in an insufficient vascular situation].
abstract: Free jejunal grafts are the method of choice for one-stage reconstruction of the hypopharynx and the upper esophagus. Prerequisites for a successful free transplantation are a sufficient arterial vascularisation and a corresponding venous drainage. In a 59-year old patient, an esophagectomy was performed because of a proximal esophageal cancer. The passage was primarily reconstructed by a pedicled colon interposition. Necrosis of the cranial graft occurred. After resection of the necrotic bowel, a free jejunal graft was introduced thoraco-cervically. The nutrient vessels of the graft were anastomosed to the upper thyroid artery and the vena thyroid ima. In an operative revision one day postoperatively due to lacking re-capillarisation, the arterial inflow stopped. The superior thyroid artery was cut at its cranial origin at the external carotid artery and microsurgically implanted into the common carotid artery. Hereafter, a venous outflow was re-established. But the critical time of ischaemia was exceeded. In another operative revision, the cephalic vein was exposed at the cranial upper arm, distally cut and anastomosed to the re-implanted superior thyroid artery. After the harvest of a second autogenous jejunal graft, the arterio-venous shunt was cut and the segments were anastomosed to the mesenterial artery and vein. Transpositions of arteries and veins with temporary formation of an arterio-venous shunt may be prerequisites for a sufficient vascularisation and can enable a successful free microsurgical transplantation even in critical vascular situations.
authors.affiliation: Plastische, Hand, Mikrochirurgie, Chirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Grosshadern, Klinikum der Universität München, Germany. africk@gch.med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.forename: R G H
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Baumeister
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fürst
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001158:Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D003106:Colon / Q000637:transplantation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy; D006801:Humans; D007583:Jejunum / Q000098:blood supply / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000098:blood supply*; D014680:Veins / Q000601:surgery