COLON INTERPOSITION FOR ADVANCED NONMALIGNANT ESOPHAGEAL STRICTURE - EXPERIENCE WITH 40 PATIENTS

The experience in 40 patients with benign strictures of the esophagus who underwent colon (or gastric) interposition with or without esophageal resection between 1972-1980, is reported. There were 23 men and 17 women ranging from 5-76 yr old. Twenty-seven patients had fibrotic strictures secondary to reflux esophagitis including 12 after failure of antireflux procedures; 4 had caustic strictures; 3 had a Barrett''s esophagus; 2 had systemic candidiasis; 2 had scleroderma and in 2 the etiology was undetermined. The right colon was used in 27 patients, the left colon in 4, the transverse colon in 1 and the jejunum in 1. In 7 patients, the stomach was employed because of vascular insufficiency of the colon. Three surgical approaches were utilized. Manometric studies were done postoperatively in 10 patients. Complications occurred in 7 patients: cervical leaks, 4; reflux colitis, 2 and a late cervical stricture, 1. There were 4 deaths, only 1 of which was related directly to technique. The beneficial effect of right colon interposition for long esophageal strictures is summarized. Its vasculature is adequate and it functions properly to propel food into the stomach irrespective of the peristaltic orientation.