Supercharged gastric tube pull-up procedure for total esophageal reconstruction

Total esophageal reconstruction using a gastric tube is complicated because it sometimes causes postoperative complications such as anastomotic leakag e, stenosis, or fistula formation resulting from insufficient blood flow at the distal end. To overcome this problem, during the past 5 years the auth ors performed seven additional microvascular anastomoses using the short ga stric vessels of the gastric tube. No postoperative complications occurred except partial tracheal necrosis in 1 patient. Postoperative radiographic e xamination showed no reflux or stasis in all patients, and no evidence of n ecrosis at the anastomotic site of the pulled-up gastric tube was observed by postoperative endoscopy. This technique reduces risk and may contribute to the successful reconstruction of the digestive tract after total esophag ectomy.