Free jejunal pouch graft reconstruction after a resection of hypopharyngeal or cervical esophageal cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pharyngoesophageal reconstruction using the free vasculari zed jejunal graft sometimes results in dysphagia and this may be caused by anastomotic stenosis at either the distal or proximal anastomotic site, gra ft contractility and the entrapment of food in the blind loop after an end- to-side pharyngojejunostomy. We therefore applied pouch procedures to the f ree jejunal graft in order to improve the ability for such patients to cons ume normal food. METHODOLOGY: We performed this procedure on 4 patients with pharyngoesophag eal cancer located within the cervical regions. RESULTS: As a result, the following post-operative complications occurred i n 1 case each: anastomotic leakage at the pharyngojejunostomy (proximal ana stomosis) which healed spontaneously, and anastomotic stenosis in jejunoeso phagostomy (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.