HISTOPATHOLOGIC STUDIES OF GASTRIC-MUCOSA FOLLOWING GASTRIC SUBSTITUTION IN BENIGN AND MALIGNANT ESOPHAGEAL DISEASE

Gastric interposition was performed and prospectively studied in 9 pat ients with esophageal cancer, 1 patient with esophageal neurofibroma a nd 5 with corrosive esophageal stricture. The postoperative follow-up periods were between 6 to 68 months with a mean of 28.6 months. The su bjects were then endoscopically reviewed. Twelve of them were macrosco pically normal. The others exhibited signs of inflammation and hyperem ia. Mucosal biopsies were obtained at the upper and lower third of the graft. The histologic findings were compared with those of the preope rative specimens. Among the 15 postoperative specimens, only minute hi stologic changes were seen. Three patients whose proximal grafts showe d inflammatory signs revealed congestion. Another 2 patients exhibited granulocyte infiltration in the mucosa of the distal, third. The muco sal structure of the remaining 10 patients was similar to that of the preoperative graft. In conclusion, the macroscopic and microscopic cha nges were few and minimal although there were alterations in function, physiology and location of the stomach.