title: Isoperistaltic left colic graft interposition via a retrosternal approach for esophageal reconstruction in patients with a caustic stricture: mortality, morbidity, and functional results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report our results of treating esophageal caustic stricture with an isoperistaltic left colic graft interposed via a retrosternal route.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed 70 patients who underwent substernal left colon interposition, performed retrosternally, for an esophageal caustic stricture, between January, 1999 and December, 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median operative time in this series was 3 h. A pharyngoplasty was performed in 10 patients (14.28 %), the thoracic inlet was found to be enlarged in 33 patients (47.1 %), and posterior cologastric anastomosis was performed in 58 patients (82.8 %). Two patients (2.8 %) died. Minor and major postoperative complications developed in 28 patients (40 %), including graft ischemia in 2 (2.8 %) and cervical anastomotic leakage in 14 (20 %). Five patients (7.14 %) developed a cervical anastomotic stricture. The functional results were satisfactory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Retrosternal isoperistaltic left colic transplant interposition is an excellent long-term replacement for an esophageal caustic stricture. If performed by experienced surgeons, this procedure is effective for esophageal reconstruction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Beni-Messous Hospital, University of Algiers, Algiers, Algeria, aboukerrouche@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Abdelkader
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boukerrouche
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003106:Colon / Q000637:transplantation*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000601:surgery*; D004944:Esophagoplasty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013249:Sternum; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult